Grass Roots - Green Industry Pros

Research shows simply spending time in nature, which can start in your backyard, is good for reducing stress, boosting heart health, boosting Vitamin D levels, and enhancing memory. Thanks to the family yard, the health and well-being benefits of being outside are just a few steps away. Kris Kiser, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute president and CEO, defines this as “backyarding,” referring to the...

Small business owners across the country were doing everything they could to keep things afloat despite the ongoing pandemic. For Tricia Capps, owner of The Ground Guys of Waco, her business was just starting. Finalizing the investment into the Neighborly Ground Guys franchise in March 2020, she proceeded to advance in opening despite the challenges of the pandemic. 

Overall, a safety culture within any landscaping or tree care operation is vital, particularly when chainsaws are regularly being utilized. To learn more about the importance of safety in relation to chainsaws, Green industry Pros Editor Ryan Whisner sat down with STIHL product manager John Allen; Husqvarna senior brand manager for professional chainsaws and cutting equipment Ben McDermott and ECH...

Safety, when it comes to chainsaws is a mix of personal protective equipment (PPE), training and proper maintenance. To learn more about the importance of safety in relation to chainsaws, Green industry Pros Editor Ryan Whisner sat down with STIHL product manager John Allen; Husqvarna senior brand manager for professional chainsaws and cutting equipment Ben McDermott and ECHO chainsaw product mana...

Warmer, humid weather brings out ticks and mosquitos. The most vulnerable months for tick and mosquito bites is April through September. On this edition of the Grass Roots podcast, Green Industry Pros editor Ryan Whisner discusses the addition of mosquito and tick control to a lawn care provider’s service options with Mark Wilson, president and founder of Tick Killz.

Technology is both a blessing and a curse. It can help a business grow or at times, if implemented incorrectly can wreck it. Managing all the technology it takes to run a business these days can be a challenge. On this edition of the Grass Roots podcast, SquareStack founder and CEO Bill Furlong shares his insights on the importance of using apps to manage your business and highlights a solution of...

Robotic mowers do a fantastic job of maintaining grass at a specific height of cut and giving commercial and residential sites good curb appeal. In the past few years, consumers and professionals have taken more interest in the use of robotic mowers for a variety of reasons, mainly to offset the cost of labor and looking at the opportunity to have a service that is sustainable or eco-friendly. On...

Tilly Design is a woman-owned online service that creates custom landscape plans for outdoor spaces. Originally designed for homeowners to have easier access to a landscape design, their latest product line is strictly for contractors. For those landscape professionals who don’t have the time or knowledge of landscape design, through Tilly they can offer the service to clients. In this episode of...

Conserva Irrigation was founded in 2010 by Russ Jundt under the concept of conserving the 1.5 million gallons of fresh water wasted daily in the U.S. by inefficient landscape irrigation systems. Now franchised, Convserva Irrigation has grown to more than 100 territories around the country. In this episode of the Grass Roots Podcast, Jundt share the story of Conserva Irrigation while also discussin...

Vacuum excavators can save contractors time, labor and most significantly reduce surface disruption in the excavation process. There are a lot of different applications for vacuum excavators and drills. On this episode of the Grass Roots Podcast, Ditch Witch product managers Chapman Hancock and Cory Maker about the various applications of the vacuum excavators and drills.

Weed Man recently announced its newest sub-franchisor, ASI Landscape Management. The company is now the official sub-franchisor to drive Weed Man expansion in Florida. On this episode of the Grass Roots podcast, Weed Man CEO Jennifer Lemcke shares the story of Weed Man and also introduces ASI Landscape Management’s CEO Joe Chiellini and COO Mark Almeda to discuss the expansion of the franchise.

Burrito Brands Incorporated introduced the Leaf Burrito, a year-round yard bag in 2015. The company recently opened a new factory in Charlotte, North Carolina and continues to seek to expand with additional factories throughout the United States. For this edition of the Grass Roots Podcast, Leaf Burrito founder Marc Mataya wraps up a discussion on the benefits of the Leaf Burrito and future plans...

Burrito Brands Incorporated introduced the Leaf Burrito, a year-round yard bag in 2015. The company recently opened a new factory in Charlotte, North Carolina and continues to seek to expand with additional factories throughout the United States. For this edition of the Grass Roots Podcast, Leaf Burrito founder Marc Mataya highlights the benefits of the Leaf Burrito and future plans for expansion...

2020 has been a unique year for all green industry businesses. On this episode of the Grass Roots Podcast, Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes at Belgard shares his views on the state of the hardscape industry in 2020 and what the contractors should be thinking about heading into 2021.

Bobcat Company has built a reputation with compact equipment machines. Hoping to capture additional opportunities within the landscaping industry, the company has unveiled a new line-up of zero-turn mowers in to the landscaping market. In this episode of the Grass Roots Podcast, senior product manager Ron Scheffler of Bobcat Company highlights the new 21-machine line-up of mowers designed with bot...

Graze, a new start-up bringing intelligence, automation and sustainable solutions to commercial landscaping has introduced its new lawn mower model, set to hit markets by 2021. The evolution of the first Graze fully autonomous, electric lawn mower expands the design to increase efficiency and maintenance speed for mid-to-large sized commercial lawns. On this episode of the Grass Roots Podcast, Gra...

Heat stress can be a major issue in active, hot work environments. Eleven people every day fall seriously ill on the job with heat-related issues. A serious health issue costs employers $53,000 per incident and even worse, can be deadly. To combat these issues, Magid, a manufacturer of PPE innovations, has launched a new product line, Magid Cool Powered by Mission that has patented instant cooling...

SingleOps, a leading business management software for outdoor service providers, recently released its quarterly report tracking the health of the green industry. A key takeaway from SingleOps’ Q1/Q2 2020 Green Industry Economic Report is that outdoor service companies, including tree care and landscape specialists, have weathered the COVID-19 pandemic fairly well despite some volatility along the...

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and continued regulatory uncertainty, the 2020 GIE+EXPO has been cancelled. OPEI and its partners had been monitoring the situation closely and working with state and local authorities to put on the safest show possible this October. However, the unpredictable nature of such a rapidly evolving environment prohibited this year’s show from taking place. In thi...

In 2019, Briggs & Stratton took a bold step into the electrification of outdoor power equipment, with intention of remaining as a known provider of power, no matter the source. The first fully integrated and serviceable Vanguard Commercial Lithium-Ion Battery Pack was designed as an electrification solution for OEMs looking for one half-kWh up to 20kWh of power. The battery packs are a critical of...

WorkWave, a provider of cloud-based software solutions recently released a specific solution for those in the green industry. WorkWave Service Lawn & Landscape was designed in conjunction with WorkWave’s current landscape customers to ensure the unique requirements of the industry were being met. The latest upgrade includes industry-specific terms and applications. On this episode of the Grass Roo...

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for organizers of trade shows and other similar events across numerous industries. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute or OPEI is actively working with its trades how partners (NALP and PGMS) to ensure the 2020 GIE+EXPO remains on schedule for Oct. 21-23 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. A final decision on whether or not to hold the ev...

As restrictions are being lifted across most states in the country and with warm weather upon us, it is important for truck drivers to consider proper management of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) used in most diesel-powered trucks. DEF is made from a mixture of technically pure urea and purified water and must be handled and stored properly to preserve its quality. Handling and storing DEF in warm wea...

John Deere is a name widely known in agriculture and construction. For landscapers, machines that are commonly turned to for a variety of tasks in excavation, loading, trenching and more, are compact track loaders and skid steers. On this episode of the Grass Roots podcast, Green Industry Pros Editor Ryan Whisner talks with John Deere Product Marketing Manager Gregg Zupancic about some of the bene...

The Snow & Ice Management Association’s 2020 Snow & Ice Symposium  will now be a virtual event held August 26-28. Originally scheduled for dates in mid-June, the event was rescheduled due to ongoing health concerns related to COVID-19. The symposium is considered the signature event for SIMA and includes numerous educational opportunities and a trade show that offers views of the latest innovation...