Landscape Contractor Magazine - March - April 2022

In this issue

Diesel Dirt & Turf is ready to kick off and 2022’s event is likely to be bigger than ever as Australia’s largest construction-industry
Expo hits the starter and rocks the landscaping, construction and earthmoving industries.
As always, we’ve reviewed some frontline equipment, including mini loaders, power blowers and mowing gear. Andrew Tulloch
tested the Ferris Z2 Soft Ride stand-on mower and with a 52-inch cutting deck it’s built to handle some seriously tough terrain.
What have nurseries got to do with landscapers? Marc Worner makes a case for integrating nursery expertise into landscape planning
and general business, and points out that a good relationship with a reputable nursery can have huge benefits for pro landscapers.
In this issue Marc has a few tips on choosing the right tree or trees for an installation and throws up a few thoughts on benefits and
disadvantages of various types and species. And while we’re talking about the right foliage, making sure a site is planned to
allow foliage to thrive is vital. Getting the right amount of air and water onto, and away from, a location is a big consideration, and
it’s not as straightforward as sprinklers and runoff. Jonathan Garner shares his expertise in this field – or backyard, or possibly even
courtyard garden – by underlining some observations on aeration and drainage, and on some of the things which need to be considered to get the balance right. ‘Balance’ is the important concept in getting water and air into and out of soil, because too much air or water, or not enough of either, can spell disaster on an otherwise well-sorted site. Supplying too much water doesn’t automatically make for a tropical setting, either. Like any job, tropical settings and environments require sound knowledge of the ecosystems and their maintenance, and John Gabriele has clearly laid out a few of the factors which need to be addressed in that particular application.