Whitehouse Lawns 2012

Aside from enjoying the Spring-like weather here in Charlotte and getting a Vegas trip out of the way, I’ve been spending time this winter working on my business strategy. The “new economy” forces all of us to make adjustments with our finances, especially small businesses that require daily cash flow to operate. We have to work smarter, make better decisions, and deliver the results. 2011 was a good year, but I’ve come up with a few opportunities that will make Whitehouse Lawns even better in 2012. Strategic partnerships with other top service providers, hiring and training of key employees, and managing costs will allow us to operate more efficiently (and profitably), be more proactive with lawn care issues, and bring more value to you.

I will be making some changes to the delivery of the In Bloom newsletter. Communication is a major key to success in this business and the monthly newsletter has been a fantastic communication tool. I put a lot of time in creating content for the newsletter, printing, and delivering because I feel its important to keep you informed. However, I can’t ignore the cost of producing a paper newsletter and getting it delivered on time vs. the ease and no cost of using email. So I’d like to take advantage of some new tools available and turn In Bloom into a monthly email newsletter. This will save a lot of time and money for me and I think it will streamline the delivery process. I know it can be a pain for some to spend more time with email, but I ask that you please give this a try. I will keep the number of emails to a minimum and only include information that is important for you to know and will be of value to you.

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The next 2-3 weeks we will primarily be pruning crepe myrtles, completing a couple of sheduled projects and make another round of maintenance visits in February. If you have an event coming up, friends or family visiting, just want the property spruced up, or if you have a landscape project in mind please let me know. This is a great time to plan and complete any outdoor projects for your property.

Thanks, Ben

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

This year I’m a little late in getting the lights up on the house. The schedule has been crazy this year with the leaves coming down fast and early, and at least a day or 2 of wet weather just about every week.  Looking back, I’m proud of the work we’ve done so far this year (I know we have more to do...), and especially proud of how Octavio, Jose, Hugo and Laris have developed as professionals and teammates.

I am especially thankful this time of year for the relationships I have with you, my clients, because its much more than just business. The business provides very well for me and my family, but I cherish the interactions I have with all of you and I’m very lucky to be associated with a fantastic group. This is just my long-winded way of saying Thank You for being a customer. I wish nothing but happy times for you and your family this holiday season. I frequently express my gratitude because I believe that the more you give thanks, the more you will have to give thanks for.

The next 3 months of Winter and early Spring are THE BEST TIMES TO PLANT. Let me know if you have any landscape projects you want completed so we can start the planning process now. Also, since the leaves have finished up early, it’s a great time to pine needle and mulch your beds. Long-leaf pine needles never look more fresh and red than they do right now. If you want everything looking perfect for the holiday coming up, please let me know right away so I can schedule your pine needles and mulch.   

From the operations department: we will continue through December (and January if necessary) cleaning up leaves to keep your property neat through the holidays. Right now we have the weeks of 12/5 and 12/17 (weather permitting) scheduled to go through the regular maintenance routes which include at least one cut on the grass this month. Please note: with the holiday schedule, rain, and leaf volume; the frequency of visits will slow down this month and we may not be there on a regular day of the week. Please let me know of any special dates if you have anything planned.    

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

Ben

Work Hard, Play Hard

Last month we took a break from work for a day and I took the guys out to Carolina Adventure World in SC for some off road ATV riding. They work so hard everyday and do a great job so they definitely deserved a little fun. By the end of the day we were all covered in mud and pretty exhausted (sounds like a work day but much more fun!).

Fall Has Finally Arrived!

I’ll be honest with you, it feels great to be finished with lawn renovations. It is the most physically demanding and time consuming part of the year. Like last year, I did not get a newsletter out in October, I was just too busy with renovations and therefore too tired at the end of the day. I always look forward to working outside with a chill in the air and getting your properties looking great for the holidays.

This turned out to be a very good Fall for lawn renovations. Unlike last year we had a few timely rains to help with seed germination. We’ve been continuing to spot seed areas that need to fill in and hopefully have a couple more weeks of good weather to get that seed germinated. If you still have any areas that you are concerned with by mid-November, please let me know so we can come up with the right solution. Right now our biggest challenge is being careful with the new grass and not mowing when its too wet. Unless we have discussed areas that you are still trying to get to germinate, you should be back to a regular watering schedule of 2-3 days per week, one time per day, for a deeper  watering. By mid-late November you will be ready to shut down and winterize your irrigation system (see page 2).

Next up is leaf season! Our maintenance priority will begin to focus on leaf cleanup over the next few weeks, and this will go on through December and usually into January until all trees are clear. We will start by picking leaves up from turf areas on each maintenance visit, and then cleaning out beds where applicable once most of the leaves are down. As always, we will have every residential property cleaned up the week of Thanksgiving and looking as good as possible for the holidays so you can be proud of your landscape when you celebrate with friends and family. Please let me know if you have any special events planned that you want a maintenance and leaf cleanup scheduled for.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for being a client of mine. I feel extremely lucky and blessed to be associated with you and I look forward to many years of beautiful landscapes and positive relationships.

Please let me know if there is any way I can improve my service for you.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving, Ben



Core Aeration Time!

Hello again! Its that time of year to get the lawn back in shape after a long Summer. We had a decent amount of rain but the string of 100 degree days did not do our fescue lawns any favors.

Here’s what we learned from last Fall: If it stays hotter than normal and we don’t get any rain like last year, your new seed will not germinate in bare spots unless covered with hay straw or peat moss. Proper irrigation coverage is crucial. I can’t tell you how many times someone asked why their seed wasn't coming up and upon inspection we find a broken or non-rotating sprinkler head, or just an inefficient system that doesn't put out enough water coverage (check your system now!). This year I’m recommending a change to the watering schedule. Also, it got cold early last Fall so a lot of the new seed did not have time to fully establish. So were going to focus on getting everyone done by the end of September, and follow-ups in October. The Premium products below help a lot in getting quick germination. 

I’ve added a dethatcher to the toolbox this year to use on lawns that have been sprayed out for Bermuda.

Below you will find the week that I have you scheduled to renovate. I will call a few days in advance to let you know what day we are planning to be there. The schedule will constantly change as we have weather issues, equipment problems, and other “emergency” (for lack of a better term) items that come up. So it is possible that we will change the week or the day that I have you on now. Also, if we don’t come on the day I tell you, most likely we got a little behind and will be there the following day. Sometimes we get ahead of schedule and want to come a day or two early. I’ll communicate this as best I can but its always a hectic time of year and we’re bound to run into schedule changes. If you have the Premium Lawn Care Program the premium renovation products below are included (your just paying for seed and aeration). Otherwise, let me know which option you prefer below. If I don’t hear from you, we’ll just do the basic renovation for you. The premium renovation option is an awesome combination of organic products that I highly recommend to get the best results quickly

Update on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 11:43AM by Ben

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