This-N-That
Photo: © Can Stock Photo / kryzhov
Three Tips For Tree Health
Trees are the lungs of earth. They pull carbon from the atmosphere and convert it into oxygen. A tree’s ability to sequester carbon is so important in ultimately addressing global climate change. So, what can we do to help keep those valuable landscape assets? Here are three essential tips for maintaining tree health.
1. Irrigate correctly. Always make sure trees are on their own zone and watered independently from other plants. Trees have specific watering requirements. They want to be watered how they want to be watered – a slow deep soak, less often, and throughout the entire root zone under the canopy of the tree.
2. Find the right tree and give it a good home. Make sure to take environment into consideration. When planting in an urban setting remember this are some of the harshest living conditions to subject a tree to yet the areas they are needed the most! Give the tree as much root volume space of non-compacted soil as possible. Provide them with an underground network to spread out and connect to one another. Believe it or not trees ways of communicating and sending signals through their roots and the surrounding soil. When able they can ask for resources or warn other trees nearby of a pest.
3. Lobby for larger tree/maintenance budgets. Planting trees is one of the biggest investments in a landscape, yet we don’t take necessary action to protect that investment. What a waste to see these magnificent plants that offer so much and give so much back live a significantly stunted life because we simply don’t invest in the love and care they need.
--Information provided by Brittany Bordon, Area Specification Manager, Rain Bird
Matrix Integrates With Woven
Cottage Grove, Wis.—Matrix Fitness, a commercial fitness brand, announced an integration partnership with Woven, a workplace management platform for multi-unit operators. It enables equipment reporting from any connected Matrix Fitness equipment into Woven’s asset and maintenance suite. The cloud-based integration is available by purchasing and subscribing to the Woven platform and then simply configuring machines on site.
The Woven platform collects data from connected cardio equipment across multiple brands to create a 360-degree view of equipment usage. Facility operators can track usage of equipment, access equipment’s service history, schedule maintenance and view warranties across multiple facilities. It is available in the United States and Canada and is compatible with all Wi-Fi-enabled Matrix cardio consoles. No additional hardware is necessary.
For more information, visit startwoven.com.
Tuff Coat Announces Brand Refresh
Tuff Coat, a rubberized non-skid coating that provides optimal traction for pool decks, splash pads, locker rooms, commercial/industrial applications and much more, has made significant investments to improve its technology, branding, product offering, and support materials. The company has launched a new branding package that includes a new logo, labels, updated literature, expanded product offering, and redesigned website. For more information, visit www.tuffcoat.net.
North Carolina State University Releases Lobo Zoysiagrass
Raleigh, N.C.—North Carolina State University’s Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics program has released Lobo Zoysiagrass (experimental name XZ 14069). Researchers selected Lobo from hundreds of nursery mates for its unusual combination of aggressive establishment and stress tolerance. These traits were later confirmed by six years of multi-location trials under low-input conditions. Lobo Zoysia will be exclusively licensed through Sod Solutions for commercial production and marketing.
Five Water-Saving Tips
Vista, Calif.—Water is the most precious natural resource—and it’s getting more expensive. The more water is used, the more it costs to distribute water to facilities and deliver it back to water treatment centers. So, what can building owners and managers do to save water and cut costs?
According to Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless CO., Inc., among the steps they can take are the following:
1. Educate users. People think it is in the summer months that the most water is used. “This is partially true. But water consumption is still significant in the winter because more people are inside.”
2. Install irrigation sensors. A simple way to reduce water consumption is to install sensors to irrigation systems. Sensors detect when precipitation is present, turning off programmed irrigation systems and preventing unnecessary irrigation.
Photo: © Can Stock Photo / Naypong
3. Know where the shutoff valve is. Millions of gallons of water are wasted when pipes freeze. “All too often in an emergency, locating the shutoff valve is a mystery to some building owners and managers, wasting millions of gallons of water. It is usually [located] where the water utility pipes connect to the building's lines.”
4. Keep building temperatures above 55 degrees. This is especially true for schools and other facilities, closed for prolonged periods during the winter. “Set furnace temperatures at 55 degrees. Plus, shut off the building water supply to further ensure pipes do not burst.”
5. Upgrade to water-efficient fixtures. The winter months are an excellent time to install no-water and water-efficient restroom fixtures, especially in facilities used less during the winter. “When they make the upgrades, building operators discover that water and cost savings occur the day the switch-out occurs.”
SubAir Systems Partners With Soil Scout
Helsinki, Finland—U.S.-based SubAir Sports Systems has partnered with wireless underground soil moisture sensor startup Soil Scout to give turf managers unprecedented control over their operations and turf with automated subsurface monitoring and ventilation.
Soil Scout’s sensor transmits moisture, temperature, and salinity data in real-time from up to 2 meters below the surface, while SubAir’s subsurface aeration and moisture-removal units guarantee ideal pitch conditions, automatically adjusting the moisture levels of the turf according to live, real-time soil conditions. In a sudden downpour, the vacuum systems activate to eliminate excess moisture in the soil profile, with 36x faster drainage than natural drainage alone.
Renovate The Right Way: Sod-Cutting Tips
Sod cutting is one of the key tactics needed for many turf renovation projects; although it might seem daunting, being prepared and having the right equipment will produce successful results each time. Ron Scheffler, senior product manager for RYAN—which produces the industry staple Jr. Sod Cutter as well as the new Jr. Sod Cutter - Hydro—has some key tips to consider:
1. Have a plan. It sounds obvious, but sod cutters work most efficiently when you know where you’re cutting sod, how much sod you’re cutting, and where it’s going to go.
2. Get familiar with the equipment. Those who have a new machine or are renting one should become familiar with it to make sure they’re using all the tools properly.
3. Adjust to the soil. Not all soil is created equal, so be sure to consider the moisture level and the type of grass. After you begin cutting, stop after a few feet into the cut to make sure that you’re comfortable with the depth of the cut. The more moisture, the easier it will be to begin cutting.
4. Don’t bite off too much. Make sure to cut sod in manageable pieces. Not only will this help in rolling and transporting it, but it will help to remain focused on the cut that you’re working on. Also, be mindful of your own energy level. Sod cutting can be strenuous.
5. Keep track of where you cut. To stay organized and efficient, carefully roll up sod after each pass so you know where you’ve already cut. This will help to show progress and where you need to cut next.
Field Notes
Landscapes Unlimited promoted Cheryl Halvorsen from Senior Irrigation Estimator to a project management role. A 26-year veteran of Landscapes, Halvorsen is one of the golf industry’s most respected irrigation experts.
Indianapolis-based Schmidt Associates, a regional architectural, engineering, and interior design firm specializing in K-12, higher education, community and healthcare spaces, has hired Julie Kost as marketing manager | associate.
Congratulations to Rain Bird for winning the top award in the Landscape Irrigation category of the Irrigation Association’s 2021 New Product Contest for its Flow Indicating Basket Filter. Available in four models, the filters have a dial at the top of the cap that provides diagnostic information about the zone’s operation, saving time and simplifying maintenance.
SportsPlay Equipment, Inc., a manufacturer of playgrounds, sports equipment, and site amenity products has named Andy Kearns Chief Operating Officer. He joined the company in 1999 in its Operations area and was most recently Vice President, Operations at the firm.