Wildflowers Are Transforming Former Corporate Plazas.

Corporate America has jumped on the perennial bandwagon, says Josh Thermer, area manager for Eastern Land Management. A former golf course superintendent from Lake Preston, CT, who joined ELM in September 2021, he now leads ELM’s turf-to-meadow conversion program, in addition to overseeing procurement for all plant material and turf and ornamental products out of ELM’s Monroe office.

To Josh, there is no irony in promoting meadows during April’s Lawn Care month, as lawns and turf grass, like all plant material, are in a constant state of renewal.

“Landscapes are naturally transformative,” says Josh. “From converting worn-out concrete plazas to an expanse of wildflowers to replacing underperforming turf with native grasses to swapping out thirsty plants for drought tolerant perennials, it’s all about doing what’s best for the aesthetics of the site, the needs of the client, and the health and performance of the environment overall.”

Perennials are a trend worth keeping, especially given the challenges Connecticut has faced with drought. Meadows, prairie-plantings, naturalistic landscapes, and eco-lawns are all versions of an ecological revolution that improves soil health and groundwater, and reduces the need for toxic chemicals. When the soil is healthy, it sequesters carbon, which, in turn, is climate-positive—a win-win for companies seeking to improve their sustainability, ESG and LEED metrics.

“Improving the way we conserve water, and the way we improve the way people experience the outdoors is what we do. But we’re also improving the quality of corporate life and view meadows as a tenant amenity. Sitting in a gazebo and watching pollinators and birds is more relaxing than sitting on a bench and looking at a lawn devoid of wildlife because nothing’s blooming,” Josh adds.

Currently Josh is on point for several major corporate projects and landscape transformations deferred by Covid. An expert in sports and performance turf, he says he looks forward to working with college and university athletic directors looking to up their game.

For questions on lawn care turf conversions, meadows or athletic fields, contact Josh at 203-316-5433.

 

 

 

From the Ground Up: Why Soil Regeneration Leads to Healthier Landscapes

From the moment we set foot on the landscape, we are stepping on the most biologically diverse material on earth—a living system of earth dwellers: worms, microbes, fungi, as well as insects and other organisms that are essential to both the environment and to landscape health.

When soils are neglected, weathered or overworked, soil health suffers.  By boosting nutritional content and improving texture and drainage, we can restore soil’s biodiversity and improve the landscape’s ability to sustain plant health.

Central to this is the need to increase soil carbon, which, in turn, attracts more microbes and becomes a self-nourishing loop. Technically, the complex relationships that exist within this community of organisms is known as the soil food web and similar to other food chains, it’s essential to overall life.

To keep soils healthy, ELM takes a systems-thinking approach to landscape health, where the world beneath our feet is connected to everything above. In practical terms, this means if the soil is sick, the plant doesn’t have much of a chance to beat the odds. 

There are 5 basic elements central to all soil systems: microorganisms, minerals, air, water and organic matter. When any one is out of proportion to the other, it compromises the ability of the soil to be an effective growing medium. The process for correcting these problems at their source has many names, but for ELM, our approach falls under the practice of Plant Health Care.

In general, the science behind this approach ensures that we treat the whole landscape system as more than just the sum of its parts. We do this by:

  • Encouraging biodiversity of plants and trees through better landscape planning
  • Building healthy topsoil using ground-cover to buffer temperatures and absorb and hold water
  • Establishing and maintaining healthy root systems
  • Planting trees with healthy canopies to protect the soil surface
  • Reducing soil traffic and compaction
  • Using mulch, compost and increased levels of organic matter
  • Improving nutrient availability
  • Regulating air and water, through aeration and advanced irrigation technology
  • Using Mycorrhizal fungi to increase a plant’s stress tolerance
  • Reducing pesticide use
  • Supporting beneficial insects and organisms
  • Planting essential habitats that increase, support and protect pollinators

To learn more about the benefits of sustainable soil practices or discover how climate-smart best practices are improving your plant and soil health, contact ELM President, Bruce Moore Jr., at 203-316-5433.

 

 

Essential Services Remain Open to Support Public Health & Safety.

The Coronavirus is changing the way we do business and daily developments affect us all.  Here’s what we know, what we’re doing and how we expect it to impact the business of business.

I.          The State of Connecticut’s “Stay Safe Stay Home Policy”

The States of Connecticut and New York, in line with Federal rulings issued March 20 and March 23, have deemed landscape services “essential and life sustaining” and eligible to continue operations during emergency or quarantine scenarios. 

This means two things. Our team can ensure that your property’s landscape health won’t suffer during the interim, and with ELM’s strict personal and public health protocols in place, there is reduced risk of exposure.

II.         Eastern Land Management’s “Protection of Public Health” Policy

ELM will continue to protect public health in performance of essential treatments to lawns, landscapes and green spaces to 1) reduce the transmission of deadly diseases through pests like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas; 2) keep public and private pathways free from obstruction and potential hazards; 3) maintain green spaces to reduce crime; 4) proactively manage late season snow and ice; and 5) address storm damage, weather events, and flooding.

Because we are all in this together, we stand with you and your business to stop the rapid transmission of COVID-19, while performing essential functions necessary for the health, safety and well-being of our communities and families, and the great places we live, work and play.

Our administrative offices are closed but essential field operations are open with restrictions in place. Our Area Managers will be your direct point of contact to make sure you are getting the support you need and stay connected in a way that suits your circumstances best. 

We continue to closely monitor the impact of COVID-19 across our region and we will update you in the moment.

These are truly unprecedented times. Be well. Stay safe. And don’t hesitate to reach out.

Bruce T. Moore, Jr., President, Eastern Land Management

bmoorejr@easternland.com

WHAT PROPERTY MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW FOR SPRING.

Spring cleaning isn’t just for the inside of your building. It also applies to thinking about how you work with your contractors and landscape professionals so that the outside of your buildings remains as impressive as the company and the people your landscape represents.

Return on investment drives everything we do and believe in at ELM. And to bring you the best service every year, and help you amortize your cost for what can often be multi-faceted and specialized landscape services, we recommend engaging with us on a regular basis to make sure you’re happy with the way your landscape maintenance and water use is managed. More importantly, we want to make sure you’re happy with us.

With spring just a hop and a skip away, let’s talk about the best approach to yield the best payback for you.

1. Review goals, specifications and budget
Have your objectives and needs changed since last season? Has your budget? Let’s walk through some economies of scale and discuss ways we can improve efficiencies and the return on your investment.

2. Review irrigation and water management.
Having a framework for managing water consumption needs three things: a) your property’s usage requirements, b) the role of digital technology to fight irrigation waste, and c) an integrated water management and irrigation plan to keep your landscape healthy while meeting official drought preparedness and response mandates.

3. Review aesthetics.
Is the landscape an extension of your brand? Your company represents the best of the best in what it does and your landscape should too. How are your flowers, your walkways, signage, and entries? Focal points are particularly important when conveying not just curb appeal for improved asset value but also an opportunity for your landscape to be your business’s most welcoming brand ambassador.

4. Review pain points and satisfaction.
How are you doing? What are your frustrations and how can we help you trouble shoot what’s not working or make life easier? If you’re still working with multiple vendors, can we help you budget differently or streamline your billing and point of contact? A single source provider snow, irrigation and maintenance can offer greater savings and accountability.

5. Review expertise.
Are you getting a thought partner or an action partner? We think you should get both. We’re running a business, too, and know that trust and proactive service can be the ultimate return on investment because as a multi-tasking manager, you don’t have waste time guessing what’s up with the contractors you retain to make your job easier.

6. Review site use.
How are folks using your property? Are employees eating lunch outdoors, taking walking breaks, or relaxing because it’s just nice to be outside? Have you thought about a green roof, walking trails, a putting green, or picnic area? Making your landscape people-friendly just makes people happier. Who doesn’t want that?

To learn more about improving asset value through improved landscape and water management strategies, go to: https://www.easternland.com/our-services/landscape-management/

Or contact Bruce Moore @ 203.316.5433.

Follow us on Facebook

February 2017

WHO ELSE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING?

Although much of what you see in the landscape around you may be dormant, the universe beneath your feet is teeming. Root systems, microorganisms and the soil itself are beginning to emerge from winter. When this underground network flourishes, so do your plants and trees. Helping this process along is the single most important factor in determining how well your landscape will perform throughout the year.

ELM recommends the following to better position your landscape for spring’s big reveal:

1. Identify and repair damage to hardscape, sidewalks, retaining walls, parking lots, terraced areas and architectural elements to ensure optimum functionality and safety.
2. Remove winter weather plant damage to improve new growth when warmer temperatures arrive.
3. Prepare and recondition the soil for planting, to improve fertility, improve its ability to absorb nutrients, facilitate better drainage.
4. Apply properly selected pre-emergents and proactive control measures to curb weeds that are already germinating, and specialized applications to inhibit pests.
5. Apply slow-release fertilizers and targeted nutrient applications to give your landscape the right amount of what it needs to thrive.
6. Prune to encourage new growth and cutback larger plants, shrubs and trees to give them a fresh start on the new season.
7. Prepare irrigation systems by bringing them back on line, testing for zone repairs and leaks, and identify improvements that help conserve and manage water use.
8. Prepare and install new plantings and identify ways the landscape can be improved by planting trees, perennials, color rotation, ornamental grasses and shrubs.
9. Clean debris and mulch.
10. Review your landscape maintenance needs overall and make a strategic plan to fix, improve or enhance.

To learn more about improving your asset value through improved landscape strategies, go to: https://www.easternland.com/our-services/landscape-management/
Or contact Bruce Moore @ 203.316.5433.

Follow us on Facebook

February 2017