EPA Program Has Transformed
Landscape Irrigation Industry
Over the last 16 years, the EPA’s WaterSense program has transformed the landscape irrigation market with products that save water, energy, and money.
The program’s accomplishments include:
Helping Americans save 6.4 trillion gallons of water – the equivalent of water used by all U.S. households in eight months;
Saving more than $135 billion in water and energy bills through the use of WaterSense products and practices;
Reducing the amount of energy needed to pump, treat, and heat water by 754 billion kilowatt hours – enough to power 70 million homes for one year.
Irrigation Certification and Labeling
WaterSense began certifying and labeling weather-based irrigation controllers in 2011 and sprinkler heads in 2017. Soil moisture sensors joined the suite of WaterSense-labled irrigation products in 2021. All of these WaterSense products can be combined to achieve even more efficiency and savings.
Fix a Leak Week
This year, the EPA’s annual Fix a Leak Week runs from March 20 through 26. This is the best time to remind your customers to plug those water-wasting household leaks, including any leaks in their irrigation system.
Encourage them to schedule their Spring tune-ups early before the seasonal rush. The sooner you correct any problems, the better!
Also, refer your customers to the EPA’s Fix a Leak resources page for information about identifying and repairing common household leaks.
The EPA estimates that replacing a standard clock-based irrigation controller with a WaterSense-labled controller can save an average home up to 15,000 gallons of water annually. An additional 5,600 gallons of water can be saved by switching to a WaterSense sprinkler head.
To date, more than 1,100 product models of sprinkler heads, irrigation controllers, and soil sensors have earned the WaterSense label for efficiency and performance.
Drip Irrigation
In 2018, WaterSense created two drip irrigation guides, offering design, installation, and maintenance tips. The guides were designed to assist homeowners and irrigation professionals in maximizing outdoor water efficiency while enhancing the health and beauty of the landscape.
During Covid
Ohio IA Represented
at Advocacy Day
JC Wheaton, Tom Barrett, and Scott Knowles represented the Ohio IA at Ohio Green Industry Advocacy Day on February 22, 2023. The Ohio IA members met with their local legislators to discuss issues most pertinent to the state’s irrigation industry.
In addition, WaterSense developed new social media tools to help promote the use of mulch and drought-tolerant plants. And a new turf grass page on the EPA’s website promoted smart lawn management decisions.
Also in 2020, WaterSense collaborated with the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) to offer a series of free public webinars on various outdoor water topics. More than 400 attendees learned about plant choices, soil amendments, landscape transformations, and the benefits of soil moisture sensors.
Want to Become WaterSense Certified?
Becoming a certified WaterSense professional demonstrates to your customers that you have the knowledge and experience to help them save both water and money. Click Here to learn about the program’s benefits and requirements.
Do you know an enterprising college student who’s interested in pursuing a career in irrigation?
He or she may be eligible for an Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra Scholarship, available through the Irrigation Association and sponsored by Rain Bird.
The IA created its Workforce Development scholarship program in 2017 to help promote irrigation education and provide financial support to worthy candidates pursuing irrigation-related degrees. These scholarships range from $1,000 to $2,500 and are awarded based on:
Encourage Ohio
Students to Pursue Irrigation
Out of 107 Irrigation Association scholarships awarded since 2017, only two Ohio students have received the prize. We can do better!
Help position our industry for future growth by encouraging students at local two- and four-year institutions to pursue careers in irrigation. Spread the word that these scholarships are available for worthy individuals.
Don’t delay! Application deadline is March 31, 2023.
Student’s letter of intent,
Student’s financial need,
Three reference letters,
Student’s resume, and
Student’s current or completed irrigation-related courses.
About the Scholarship
Through 2026, the IA’s scholarship program is being sponsored exclusively by Rain Bird Corporation. The program has been renamed the Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra Scholarship Program in honor of Rain Bird’s late president and CEO. The two top scholarship recipients will be designated as Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra scholars. Last year Troy Bowman, a Cincinnati State student, was one of those top recipients.
Eligible students must:
Be a U.S. citizen;
Be currently enrolled (undergraduate or graduate) at a U.S. vocation or technical school, university, community college, or similar institution of higher learning with a graduation date of December 2023 or later;
Have completed or be currently enrolled in a class with an irrigation-related curriculum;
Not be a prior recipient of this award;
Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale); and
Demonstrate financial need.
Scholarship applications, instructions, and additional information are available here.
The Most Eco-Friendly Way to Control Pests
in Your Customer’s Landscape
If your irrigation business also provides landscaping services, now’s the time of year to think about controlling spring pests. Grubs, billbugs, and dandelion seeds lurk beneath the snow, waiting to attack as soon as the first green appears.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an effective and sustainable approach to pest control that employs a variety of techniques for managing common lawn and garden pests. It’s an eco-friendly alternative that can help prevent infestation from occurring.
IPM was first developed for large-scale agricultural operations, but its basic tenets also apply to residential landscapes. It incorporates an understanding of plant biology, insect pests, and plant diseases, taking into consideration a landscape’s entire ecosystem – not just a segment.
IPM Control Strategies
IPM involves four general control strategies: cultural control, physical control, biological control, and chemical control. Each of these strategies should utilize natural solutions for the least-disruptive pest management measure possible.
Not a Landscaper?
If your irrigation business does not provide landscaping services, you may wonder why IPM matters to you. The fact is, poor irrigation practices can sabotage your customer’s IPM strategy, significantly increasing the likelihood of lawn and garden pests, particularly:
Leaf spot and other fungal diseases
White grubs, spittlebugs, and garden slugs due to overwatering
Sod webworms, bluegrass billbugs, and spider mites due to under watering.
In addition, customers who employ IPM techniques will benefit greatly from a periodic irrigation audit to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Cultural Control
Cultural control measures modify natural environment to reduce the potential for pest problems. An example would be removing old plant material, infested plants, and weeds that may harbor pests.
Optimizing plant health is another cultural control method. This would include proper irrigation, fertilization and pruning to reduce plant stress. Two of the most effective cultural controls are selecting native plants (which are naturally resistant to native pests) and hydrozoning.
Physical Control
Physical controls are activities that physically remove or block a pest from your customer’s landscape. These controls are most effective when pest populations are low. Examples of physical controls include spraying plants with water to dislodge pests, installing barriers such as row covers or nets, setting insect traps, and hand-pulling weeds.
Physical controls can also be employed for pests that build nests or feed together. For instance, pruning out web-infested branches can reduce pest populations and damage.
Biological Control
Biological control involves using a pest’s natural enemies (e.g., beneficial insects) to reduce pest numbers. There are two different kinds of biological control: conservation and augmentative.
In conservation biological control the landscaper provides the resources needed to attract and keep a pest’s natural enemies within the landscape. Such resources might include nectar and pollen, alternative prey, water, and nesting sites.
For augmentative biological control the landscaper releases the pest’s natural enemies directly into the environment. Lady bugs and praying mantises are popular choices for this purpose. For weed management, the seedhead and rosette weevils have proven to be effective biological controls.
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Chemical Control
Chemical control is used in IPM only as a short-term solution and only after all other options have been explored. There’s a reason for this: pesticides or herbicides can often do more harm than good. For example, pesticides can kill natural enemies along with the pest, causing pest populations to rebound more quickly than their natural enemies do. The result can be a “pesticide treadmill,” where you’re always trying to stay one step ahead of the pests.
When utilizing chemical control measures, be sure to choose “selective” insecticides and herbicides that are less persistent in the environment and affect only the targeted pest. By leaving natural enemies in place you’ll help control more pests in the long term.
Additional Tips
The National Pesticide Information Center recommends these additional IPM Techniques to prevent future pest problems and reduce the long-term need for pesticides:
IPM Standards in Ohio
Ohio companies that offer IPM services must meet governmental standards as established in the Ohio Administrative Code. These standards apply to all pest control, landscaping or lawn care companies operating within the state.
Under Ohio law, every non-agricultural IPM program must include the following four elements:
A comprehensive site assessment
A needs assessment and comprehensive plan for pest control
A schedule for ongoing pest monitoring and site reassessment
Irrigate at ground level wherever possible; wet leaves are more susceptible to disease.
Dead plant material can harbor disease; be sure to remove it before spring.
Determine fertilizer needs by testing the soil for nutrients and minerals.
Inspect plants regularly to detect problems early.
Contact your local university extension for help identifying and managing pests.
Ready to Expand Your Menu?
If you want to include integrated pest management in your menu of landscaping services, bear in mind that you’ll need to make two to three additional site visits per season, depending on environmental conditions. A successful IPM program requires that the contractor examine the overall health of the turf, trees and ornamental plants on each property. You’ll need to assess weed infiltration and identify signs of pest damage, or any other harbinger of larger plant problems.
Also, be sure to determine your customer’s tolerance for imperfection. Integrated pest management will not eradicate every weed and insect pest from a landscape, but it will keep them below damaging levels. So if your client is seeking an insect-free lawn and garden, he may be dissatisfied.
It’s important for contractors and clients to have a frank conversation so they can establish threshold levels and set realistic expectations.
Irrigation Companies Still
Struggling to Find Qualified Staff
Is your irrigation business reeling from the labor shortage? If so, you’re not alone.
Although the green industry has faced a significant labor deficit for many years, the pandemic resulted in a “double whammy” for landscape and irrigation contractors: surplus demand for services and record-breaking worker shortages.
Labor Pains
Here are just a few of the stories irrigation business owners tell regarding their labor woes and what they’re doing to alleviate the situation:
Looking for
Qualified Workers?
In addition to posting available positions on the Irrigation Association’s Careers Center page, check out the following Ohio colleges and universities listed in the IA’s Schools Directory:
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College — Register as an employer through CareerLink.
University of Cincinnati – Post jobs through the Handshake network.
Columbus State Community College – Post jobs through the Handshake network.
Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture & Environmental Sciences – Post jobs through the Handshake network.
Cayahoga Community College (Cleveland) – Post jobs through the Handshake network.
Hocking College (Nelsonville) – Submit job description to Terry Koons, Career Center Services Manager, koonst@hocking.edu.
Owens Community College (Perrysburg) – Register as an employer through the College Central network.
Kent State University (Salem) – Post jobs through the Handshake network
Clark State Community College (Springfield) — Register as an employer through the College Central network.
John Lane owns Castle Rock Sprinkler Service in Denver. He would love to hire three or four more irrigation techs because the demand is so high, “but I just can’t find them,” he said.
Lane even went so far as to offer $30 per hour and a signing bonus. Still, he’s had no takers. The few who did inquire about the job failed to show up for the interview.
Worst of all, Lane said, applicants claim to have experience when they don’t. So now he’s offered to pay applicants $250 a day for them to accompany him to a job site to see what they know. He’s also prepared to train applicants with at least some mechanical ability.
Working Smarter
Lester Anders, owner of Nature’s Link in Bloomington, Ind., struggles to find younger workers. He has a core group of employees who have been with him for 15 or 20 years, but now they’re starting to retire, and he has more work than ever.
To compensate for the labor shortage, Anders trains his crews to work smarter, not harder. For instance, they utilize as much equipment as possible (replacing a third worker on each team).
Anders said that if he can’t attract younger workers, he must learn to work more efficiently.
Commissioning Help
Ryan Jantz is the general manager for Arizona-based Sorona Sprinkler.
To attract and keep qualified technicians, he now offers 30% commission-based pay. It’s worked out well for him and his 12 techs.
His workers have begun “thinking on their feet” and developing new ideas to generate revenue. They’re much more motivated to upsell products and services, Jantz said.
“You know how crazy our industry has been? We’re doing a 300% increase in business with 50% of the staff we used to have.”
Kathy Wheaton
Owner, Kathy’s Corner
Vashon Island, Wash.
Survey Says…
AmericanHort, in collaboration with researchers at the University of California-Davis and the University of Michigan, conducted a survey in 2022 to help understand the depth of the labor scarcity impacting the green industry.
The following infographic illustrates key survey findings:
Help from Uncle Sam
In an effort to address the green industry labor shortage, the Department of Homeland Security has released more than 64,000 additional H-2B visas for fiscal year 2023. The H-2B visa program allows temporary admission of foreign workers to perform seasonal non-agricultural labor whenever unemployed U.S. workers are not available.
According to Nathan Bowen, the Irrigation Association’s advocacy director, expanding the overall labor pool will likely benefit the entire industry. Participants in the H2-B visa program benefit directly, while nonparticipants benefit indirectly because of reduced competition in the labor market.
For information, resources and assistance with the H2-B program, contact Andrew Bray, at the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).
On-the-Job Training
More than ever, on-the-job training opportunities are critical if employers hope to attract and retain good workers. Increasingly, irrigation contractors are realizing that finding workers with years of experience is less likely (or important) than finding trainable people with shared values, including a strong work ethic and the desire to work outdoors.
Should You Offer Apprenticeships?
Another way landscape professionals are combating the labor shortage is by offering apprenticeships.
The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) developed its apprenticeship program to help establish landscaping and irrigation as a skilled trade.
Interested companies must be in business for at least one year. NALP members pay a $500 enrollment fee ($1,000 for non-members) and a $100 per-apprentice fee ($200 for non-members). Optional training per apprentice is $737 for three online courses ($921 for non-members).
Apprentices who fail to complete the program within two years must pay an annual $50 holdover fee.
The Irrigation Association offers various online classes for every skill level, from basic hydraulics to complex irrigation system design. There’s even a beginner-level “Pipes, Fittings & Assembly” course available in Spanish (pdf format).
When training a group with a wide range of skill sets, it’s often helpful if the more advanced learners share their experiences and mentor the new hires. This is also an excellent way to measure the senior techs’ expertise.
Be sure to follow up classroom or online training with hands-on practice or implementation of the newly learned skills. Finally, have some type of evaluation in place to ensure your techs have retained the new information.
Installing Holiday Lights Can Be a
Nice Bonus for Your Business
Irrigation and residential landscape contractors seeking an additional revenue stream during these colder months need look no further than holiday lighting installation.
Not only does holiday lighting provide a welcome profit, but it’s also a great way to keep your best workers employed during the off-season. It’s like a holiday bonus for your business.
Clientele typically include busy families with no time to spare during the holiday season, older couples whose light-hanging days are over, and (particularly) high-income households with large estate homes.
Here are a few ideas for getting started:
First Things First
Confirm that the size and average income of your local population can sustain an installation business. Are there fewer than 50,000 residents within 30 miles of your business? Then you probably don’t have the population base needed to support your new venture. What about the average income? Most of your customers will be upper middle class or higher. If the average household income within your service area is at least $150,000 a year, you’re probably in good shape.
How Much Should
I Charge?
The amount you charge customers for a holiday lighting install depends on the complexity of the design, the square footage involved, the types of lights selected, and whether lights are purchased or leased. (The price of light strands averages between $80 and $300, depending on the product.)
The installation cost for the first year is typically reduced by 50% for subsequent years. Charges include free servicing and bulb replacement throughout the season.
Here are some average installation charges, according to HomeAdvisor:
Determine if there’s a reasonable demand for holiday lighting services. How much competition will you face? Do some research to make sure your local market isn’t already saturated. Bear in mind, however, that significant competition could mean the market is hot and can support multiple installers.
Find a Partner
Affiliating your business with an established holiday lighting company offers a fast track to success through training, sales leads, and product discounts. Some manufacturers will also supply various tools to help build your business, such as a designer app that illustrates how the lights will look on a client’s home, or an estimating program.
Another option to get your new business up to speed quickly is to purchase a franchise. For the cost of a start-up fee and a yearly royalty, you can get training and support, business software, territory protection, and marketing assistance.
Franchise companies provide the blueprints for efficient, replicable systems, so there’s no need to “reinvent the wheel” on each job. Installers can complete the job quickly and move on, optimizing the short holiday window of opportunity. As a result, franchises often work best if you stick to the established program and resist the temptation to deviate.
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Potential Pitfalls
Experts in the field caution newbies about the following potential pitfalls:
Using inferior products. Don’t cut corners by purchasing cheaper products from the local big-box stores. Instead, choose waterproof, contractor-grade lights with sturdier bulbs, thicker wires, and more reliable connectors. These products provide a warranty.
Offering too many discounts. Remember, you’re offering a premium service that your customers will expect to pay for. Also, be sure to set a minimum charge. (See sidebar above, “How Much Should I Charge?”)
Assuming you’re covered. Make sure your insurance carrier includes coverage for climbing ladders and roofs and using hydraulic cranes.
Selling It
Storing Lights
Whether you choose to sell light strands to your customers or lease them, it’s a good idea to offer off-season storage for a nominal fee. Storing your customers’ holiday lights provides two substantial benefits:
It helps expedite next year’s installation, especially if you use labeled bins and include blueprints or other schematics, along with the necessary attachments (timers, extension cords, etc.)
It increases the likelihood of repeat business. Why should your customers go elsewhere when you already possess everything they need?
Even though the residential holiday lighting market is strong, you’ll still need to sell your irrigation and landscaping customers on the benefits of using your holiday lighting services. Here are a few selling points worth mentioning:
The Wow Factor – professionally installed lights look beautiful and elegant without being garish (something your neighbors will appreciate). Be sure to show your customers plenty of examples.
Safety – When trained professionals handle the job, homeowners have no risk of injury (falling from roofs and ladders, electrical shock, or exposure to the elements).
Convenience – Your customers can spend their holiday preparation time on more enjoyable tasks with friends and family.
Economy and Sustainability – professional-grade LED light strands are more durable and utilize much less power.
How Much Should
Storing Lights
