Happy National Truffle Day!

NJLCA Announces Exciting New Event! - August 2nd

NJLCA has been working hard behind the scenes to bring you what you've been asking for!

We're excited to announce the New Jersey Contractors Showcase Expo (NJCSE)! The event will be held on August 2, 2023 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at County College of Morris in Randolph, NJ.

ONE DAY - CONVENIENT LOCATION -

SEE - FEEL - AND TRY THE EQUIPMENT!

NJCSE is an outdoor demo day and expo like none other in the tri-state area! This outdoor event will give attendees the opportunity to demo equipment, network, and meet with vendors and suppliers that work in all facets of the landscape, hardscape, horticulture and nursery industries.

Complimentary show admission has been provided by our generous exhibitors, so there is NO COST to attend, however, you must register!

May Membership Meeting at Direct Fence on May 11, 2023

If you missed April's member meeting at Al D, or you were there and wondered why our topic changed, now is your opportunity to be at the next event where the Bergen County Police WILL be there to help you with traffic safety, trailer regulations and vehicle maintenance!

Join NJLCA and Direct Fence in Carlstadt, NJ for our next Member Meeting on May 11th at 6:00 pm.

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Sad News: Rick Hewson, Hewson Landscape

From NJLCA: Rick was a great man and we thank him for sharing Shelly with us. May he rest in peace. Our love and thoughts are with Rick's family.

Rick Hewson peacefully departed this Earth on April 27, 2023, at the young age of 65, after a long battle, side effects, and complications from a brain tumor. Born in Summit, New Jersey, Rick grew up in Warren Township, New Jersey, and attended Watchung Hills Regional High School.

Rick and his wife, Shelly, started Hewson Landscape Inc. in 1990, which grew to be a successful business that Shelly is still operating today in his honor. 

Rick was an animal lover, having grown up with horses and a love for German Shepherds. His passion for horses got him involved with saddle bronc rodeo riding, where he competed at Cowtown Rodeo in Pilesgrove, New Jersey, not to mention Madison Square Garden and other rodeos up and down the East Coast. Rick’s love for living on the wild side inspired him to receive his Black Belt at the Judo Karate Center in Cranford, New Jersey, under the tutelage of Yoshida Yonezuka and Chun Mon Tsang.

Rick enjoyed traveling with Shelly and spending time with friends at home or out on the town. Rick enjoyed meeting new acquaintances and was nicknamed “the Mayor” because of his social enthusiasm and long-lasting relationships with people he would meet on vacation, in everyday life, or while cheering on the Jets and hosting sports parties at “The Barn.”

Rick is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Shelly Hewson, his mother, Nancy Eckenrod, his sister, Michelle Voss, her husband, Art, and their son, Nicholas, all from Cape Coral, Florida.

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Landscape Pest Notes for Early May 2023

(Courtesy of Rutgers Plant & Pest Advisory)

The Landscape Pest Notes Blog for Early May 2023 is listed below & is composed of some commonly observed insect/mite & disease pests occurring within landscape & nursery plants. The insect/mite pests included are andromeda lace bug, lilac borer, boxwood leafminer, spruce spider mite, & horned/gouty oak galls. The disease pathogen pests included in addition to fungal leaf spots are black knot, sycamore anthracnose, Diplodia tip blight, & apple scab fungus. 

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Give your clients some great advice about adding color

(Courtesy of Total Landscape Care)

Here are some tips for adding color from The Grounds Guys and some of our favorite blooms from the archives.

1) To get an idea of how colors blend together, check out the color wheel from Cornell University.

2) Explore why a client wants to add color. Do they want to emphasize a building, add structure or highlight other parts of the green space?

3) White appears “cooling,” and is a good color to us when the temps are high and give off a “glow” at night; Green looks restful, and is a low-key transition between flowerbeds.....

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How I Do It: Implementing New Equipment Efficiencies

(Courtesy of NALP)

With labor being a constant challenge in the landscape industry, taking advantage of various equipment innovations can help you make the most of your current workforce and boost morale.

Local Roots Landscaping, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, started seeking equipment that could increase their efficiency after buying a wheel loader in 2019. Patrick Murray, managing partner of Local Roots, says the machine cost $120,000 and in one year, they were able to save three times the labor cost.

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Your Job Ad Sucks

(Courtesy of Grow the Bench)

As the Spring rush continues, my social media feeds have been a constant stream of job advertisements from landscaping companies across the country. Unfortunately, most of them are terribly written and certainly have little impact on potential job seekers. If you’re struggling to get quality applicants to respond to your job postings, the problem probably is…

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For those who have not yet responded to the USDA Census of Agriculture, please do so. There is still time...

There is strength in numbers. Help show the importance of sod, nursery and floriculture and its contribution to New Jersey agriculture. 

If you have a survey code or questionnaire, please respond! And if you need a survey code or questionnaire, please see the Regional Office phone number or e-mail below.

USDA, NASS

Northeastern Regional Field Office

4050 Crums Mill Rd., Suite 203

Harrisburg, PA 17112

Phone – 717-787-3904

eFax – 1-855-270-2719

Email – nassrfoner@usda.gov

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NJLCA Member Discount: Announcing the Summer Growth Summit, Aug 23-24 at Mariani Landscape in Chicago

Jeffrey Scott and his team are inviting you and your team to their 2023 Summer Growth Summit, August 23-24.

As part of this Summit, enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Mariani Landscape, the country's largest residential landscape firm. 

(Super early bird pricing, which saves you $300, ends April 18th)

NJLCA Members also receive a discount just for being a member! Use code: discount100 using this link.

Super Early Bird ends TODAY, April 18, 2023. Plus, as an NJLCA member, use code: discount100

for an additional $100 per person!

VIEW MORE DETAILS

May 11th - Member Meeting at Direct Fence Distributors

May 19th - Keystone Customer Appreciation BBQ

August 2nd - NJ Contractor's Showcase Expo

August 23rd-24th - Jeffrey Scott Executive Summit (Member Discount Code: discount100)

September 7th - Member Meeting at Hionis Greenhouses

October 11th - NJLCA Annual Golf Challenge

October 19th - Member Meeting at Bobcat of North Jersey

December 5th - Holiday Gala and Landscape Achievement Awards Dinner