Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/282929
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Publisher's Notice: We assume no responsibility for the validity of advertising claims in connection with items appearing in Landscape and Irrigation. Commercial product names are used for the con- venience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by Landscape and Irrigation or Specialty Infor- mation Media, or preference over similar products not mentioned. IRRIGAT ON 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone: (847) 720-5600 • Fax: (847) 720-5601 Account Representatives: EAST Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager Phone: (954) 964-8676 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com MIDWEST Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com WEST Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager Phone: (248) 731-7596 lpalmer@specialtyim.com John Kmitta nthropomorphic. Circadian. Herculean. No, those aren't this season's latest turf pests and diseases; those are just some of the words that surfaced a few rounds into my 8-year-old daughter's spelling bee a few weeks ago. As her school's champion (third-through-eighth grade), she was tasked with representing the school at a regional spelling bee. It was an eye-opening experience, and she got bounced fairly early from the competition. Although most of the other competitors were fifth grade and up, it quickly became apparent which students focus a serious amount of time on this one discipline. One student said that he practices spelling two hours per day after school; which got me think- ing…is it better to master one skill or be good at a wide range of things? Those of you with children probably face the same question when it comes to extracur- ricular activities. For my children, it is a challenge to find a balance of studies, musical in- struments, and, depending on the season, soccer, basketball, cross country, track, and more (and make sure they aren't overwhelmed in the process). I'm sure that question also comes into play in your work life: Is it better to be many things to your client base or master of one? Many of you may focus on one discipline — such as landscape design/build, lawn main- tenance, insect/disease management, snow removal, hardscapes, or irrigation installation and maintenance. But for others, it is often about offering as diverse a range of services as possible. Several contractors I have spoken with have branched out in recent years to provide a mix of the services I just mentioned, as well as offerings such as holiday lighting, interior plantscaping, tree care, green roof and wall installation and maintenance, parking lot main- tenance/repainting, mosquito abatement, swimming pool design/installation, and more. Whether you focus on one niche within our overall market or spray to all fields, we will continue to provide you with content to help your business succeed. For example, in this issue, in addition to articles focusing on landscape design and construction, landscape and turf maintenance, and equipment, we also delve into the ins and outs of rainwater harvesting (see page 22), building your social media presence (page 32), identifying/developing a propane infrastructure (page 36), and more. But I would like to hear from you. Do you specialize in one niche area of the market, or do you prefer to offer your clients a one-stop shop for their landscape and irrigation needs? What do you feel are the pros and cons of your particular business model? E-mail to me your feedback at jkmitta@specialtyim.com. Picture this In an effort to get you, the reader, even more involved in Landscape and Irrigation magazine, we would like to get from you cover-quality photography. If you have photos of your crews at work, we would love to see them. Please include a detailed caption explaining any photos you submit, along with your company name, location, and other pertinent details. Our art department recommends that photos be taken with an approximate 5 megapixels setting (or at least a 9" x 12", 300 dpi, jpeg). To get more technical, photos taken with a point-and- shoot camera should be taken at ISO 200 exposure (rather than the "auto" setting). Photos can be sent directly to my attention at jkmitta@specialtyim.com. Thanks for your continued support. Viewpoint A Less or More? LI 6 Landscape and Irrigation April 2014 www.landscapeirrigation.com