Putting MOE on notice

So Ontarians have been living with the provincial bylaw for a few months now and the weeds have had a field day- no pun intended.

It's not that I mind so much having to pull the weeds when I'm out doing applications- it's just a little more time consuming than applying Sarritor, (which I can't get anyway because a chosen few have a monopoly on the product), or spot spraying Top Gun and Eco Clear that will also burn the grass.

What I do take issue with, is the fact the government wants to have their cake and eat it too- an all too familiar scenario.

You see, now that Lawn Care Providers are forced to operate under new eco-friendly standards, (forget IPM altogether brother), they are still required to have an operating licence from the Ministry of the Environment.

Yet, I can live with the $200.00 dollar cash grab every year and pony-up the dough.

MY problem- and it's a big one- is WHY do I still need $200,000.00 on my insurance in case of environmental damage for organic applications? Not only does this drive my premiums through the roof and cost you, the consumer, more, it's hard for a smaller operator to get.

I'm told by the Ministry, I need this because the corn glutens and the nematodes that I use still have to go through a testing phase and have PCP numbers. I might buy this line if I could actually find a PCP number on my nematodes, but I can't.

I guess they figure we are all brainless twits that have nothing better to do with our day than stand on a bridge and dump bag after bag of fertilizer into the lake.
Maybe we are....I mean, look at the above picture. The lawn stake has been inserted incorrectly. It looks like I'm being told there is "No ice" which I wouldn't expect to find on a lawn anyway.

So, I'm putting the Ministry and any half-wit politicians on notice while they're playing a round of golf on their weed-free fareways; take a serious look at your regulations gentlemen before you add to the ever growing list on the unemployment line.

Lawn and disorder

Happy Victoria Day, or May long weekend, or whatever you like to call it. For me it marks the near end of my second round of applications.

This year I have been hearing some disturbing stories from my customer base and consumers alike, about the underhanded behavior of other companies in the lawn care industry.

Some claims, "Even though I told them I quit and didn't want the service anymore, they showed up and did my lawn and billed me in the Spring! Now they say they'll take me to collection if I don't pay."

I'm well aware of this tactic. I used to work for one of the bigger companies and every Spring I'd have four, or five unhappy homeowners, a day, screaming at me because they cancelled. I was never told by the company. I was just given the invoice to perform my job.

However, this year seems to be even worse. Not only is this practice in full swing, but these companies are no longer paying attention to the fact the lawn has already been flagged by someone else. By double application they are risking the health of the lawn and only angering the former customer further.

Then there are the incessant phone calls. As many as three times a week. "Who's doing your lawn? We can give you a better a price. Why did you leave?"

Do they really think these pesty moves of desperation are going to endear themselves to the homeowner who has worked all day and now has to be bombarded by calls from a company they don't want to hear from?

But the worse practices are the companies who show up to assess the property, take the pre-payment and then don't do the work- it is happening!

Or the companies who are slandering others in the industry to get the customer's business. "Don't go with them. They don't use the correct weed control. They won't do the work for you. They are not as efficient as us."

If you define efficient as: Having an unlicensed student technician, with one day training, running through your lawn because he's got forty jobs to do that day and who spends more time filling out your invoice then doing the work - then I guess they are right. I'm not as "efficient" as them.

If you define efficient as: Not being able to have your lawn problems and billing issues solved because you can't get anyone in the office to return your phone calls now that they have your money - then I guess they are right. I'm not as "efficient" as them.

I'm not sure if the new bylaw is making everyone crazy and fight tooth-and-nail for every square foot of lawn out there, or years of greedy practices like these have just made the offending companies stupid?

I would hope it's the first reason, but really there is no excuse to what's going on.

I would like to apologize to the homeowner on behalf of this lunacy because it just makes my job harder when I have to go in and try to rebuild the tattered threads of trust.

I would like to name all the offending parties, but then I'd just hear cries of "We'll take him to court!" Besides you probably have a pretty good idea of who they are. After all, they're the ones who have been screwing you for years.

I would like to say, "Forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing."

But they know exactly what they are doing.

It's what they've always done.

It's just that the consumer is much smarter than they are given credit for.

Aerating the dirty laundry

This week I started doing my aerations.

Why so late you ask?

I should ask you, why did you do your lawn so early?

I know some companies have been attacking neighborhoods with their army of students for weeks now, offering low priced aerations. Some, started...*gulp*... back in late March!

It's a competitive market place out there and I understand everyone wants to be the first to take the money off the street.

What you as a homeowner, don't seem to realize that aerating your lawn that early, to save a few bucks, is actually doing more harm than benefit.

Sure aeration is great for your lawn. I recommend it twice a year- spring and fall. It's great for compacted soils, allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach and thicken the root base; breaks up thatch layers; promotes deeper root growth; even helps alleviate grub infestation, but not at the cost of destroying the composition of your soil.

You know how soggy the weather is in April. Do you think adding a heavy machine like an aerator to your soft lawn helps?

I don't tell you this because I want your business. I can't possibly service every lawn out there. I'm just asking you to think long term when it comes to your lawn. You want it to look nice don't you? To be healthy, thick, lush?

Is it really worth the $10 or $20 dollars you saved to be counter productive in reaching these goals?

Save time and money with the new breed of lawn care

The following is an article I wrote which appears in the April 13th edition of the Metro News.


On April 22, which is Earth Day, the Ontario government will implement a ban on pesticides for cosmetic use.


No more Killex, Par III, Merit for grubs ... the list goes on.


This has left many in the lawn-care industry scrambling to find effective alternatives, or reposition their brand, not to mention the confusion of the homeowner running to stock up on pesticides, but it doesn’t have to be that way.


The best way to keep your lawn weed-free and resistant to disease and insect infestation is a sound maintenance program that begins with soil testing.


By testing your soil and having it evaluated by an accredited lab you can find out what deficiencies your soil may have and treat them organically with a program designed specifically for your lawn.


Sounds expensive, but it’s not. This procedure can be completed for around $40.


Next, whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer, or have a lawn company taking care of your lawn, proper fertilization, aeration (preferably twice a year), watering, cutting and over-seeding are key.


Annual fall over-seeding especially is your golden ticket to success, but be careful. Don’t skimp and buy cheap seed. The less expensive the seed, the more weed seeds you’ll be putting back into your lawn. Likewise, topsoil is just as bad. Remember, we are trying to prevent the germination of weeds, not add to the problem.


One suggestion is a low-maintenance seed blend like Eco-Lawn, which doesn’t require topsoil, has a deep root system (22.86 centimetres in clay-based soils requiring little or no water), performs well in shade as well as full sun, and grows slowly. It is also high in endophyte to help guard against foliar-feeding insects like chinch bugs.


Grass seeds like Eco-Lawn are the most inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to keep your lawn thick and weed-free.


Over time, you won’t need to care as much for your lawn, you will conserve water and cut down on lawn mower emissions, without fertilizer, or weed control.


For too long the lawn-care industry has been feeding the top growth instead of your soil, creating a shallow root system for your grass. Why? Because it’s faster and more cost-effective to do it that way.


Now it’s your turn to save time and money and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.


Embrace the new breed of lawn care.

Home Show and tell

Alas it's spring and every weekend there's a Home Show happening somewhere. Vendors are coming out of the woodwork after a long winter's hibernation- some in a rather grumpy mood.

Despite the economy, people are still willing to buy, but the perception is, competition for the dollar is fierce.

I saw this first hand at a recent Home Show I had the fortune to be represented at where more that one deck guy, more than one landscaper, more than one hot-tub sales dude all bumped one another for pole position like antsy racecar drivers.

I'm not saying they were all like this, but there were a few who refused to play nicely and resorted to under-handed tactics and- dare I say it? slander- to gain a competitive edge.

I'm from the old school of live-and-let-live. I understand people have families to feed and bills to pay- we all do, but there is enough work out there for everyone, if you have the ambition to find it and the commitment to follow through and deliver the job, or product.

Yet some will insist on trying to strong-arm others out of the arena. Personally I feel the consumer is smarter than they're given credit for and the transparencies of these companies are quite easily spotted.

So shape up guys. Play nice. The world's a big place. Put faith in your abilities not the animosity for your fellow handyman.

The new bylaw is here! The new bylaw is here!

OK, maybe not greeted with the same enthusiasm as Steve Martin's telephone book rant in the Jerk, but none-the-less there's at least some news on the bylaw front.

If you've been living under a rock, I'm talking about the Provincial bylaw banning pesticides for the purpose of cosmetic use on lawns in Ontario.

This has been coming for sometime as, one by one, municipalities drafted their own legislation to deal with this issue. Yet, until now, no clear agenda was in place.

As of Earth Day, April 22nd the playing field will be leveled and traditional lawn care will be outlawed province wide. No more Killex. No more Par III. No more Merit, Dimension, Acclaim....the list goes on.

The provincial bylaw will supersede those already in place by various municipalities.

In fact, as I understand it, only under conditions where there are health issues affecting the public, will traditional methods be considered and then only after alternative methods have failed.

Sounds like IPM to me.

If you're worried about Nazi's marching into your neighbourhood to force compliance, relax. Although there will be no phasing in of the new law, it is not the Ministry's, or the Government's intent to fine, or jail anyone out at 3:00 in the morning with a Miner's helmet spraying Killex on dandelions.

Education will be the buzz word and the key to changing the mind of the homeowner.

Personally I welcome this shift with open arms, having set up my lawn care business to run eco-friendly from the get-go while the major players scramble to reinvent their brands.

With the implementation of various organic methods, it is possible to control pests and have the outstanding lawn you've come to know if you are willing to embrace the new breed of lawn care. Just make sure you do your research before you choose an option.

A healthy, thick lawn is still the best defence against any invasion, whether it be insect, turf disease, or lazy neighbour who refuses to manage his weed problem and subsequently makes it yours.

The best advice I can give anyone who is freaking out over the impending ban is, forget it. Utilize the tools and products you have at your disposal...they will work, whether you're a do-it-yourselfer, or in partnership with a lawn care provider who knows what they are doing. And remember new products will be developed, of which Sarritor is only the first tiny step.

The future of Green can also be friendly.

Joe Landscaper

Today I was going to post something concerning the upcoming Provincial pesticide ban, but no one seems to have the answers. Not the Ministry of the Environment, not Landscape Ontario, not my suppliers, not my fellow lawn care experts. Hell....I don't know for sure either. After all, we're talking about legislation that hasn't even been written yet, but is supposed to be passed in April. Yet, I ask you, is anyone surprised by this?

So, with virtually no information to work with I've decided a post of a lighter nature should take it's place.