The lawn care industry, and to a great extent the entire turf management industry, began in the mid 1960's when the original lawn care models were first set into place. Known today as the "Chem Lawn" model, named after one the first and largest players in the game, it established how the lawn care business was going to be run for years to come. The program for each lawn consisted of applications of four pounds of synthetic nitrogen per season, with a little phosphorous, a little more potassium, and maybe a trace element or two (mostly iron), and of course some weed control. The business model was based on an "a la carte" system allowing the company to charge the customer separately for each visit that they made.

It was simple, it was brilliant for its time, and it worked as a business model. However it was not without its flaws. This model encouraged the over application of product consisting of a diet of purely synthetic fertilizer resulting in the removal of carbon from the soil, what we call "soil burnout". Though it initially provided green grass, the quality of the program only lasted for a few years. As the soil "burned out" it had to work harder and harder to provide that same green luster and that usually meant more nitrogen, more applications and often a frustrated customer. But the original model builders knew the pit falls, they built in succession plans, because they knew agronomically that after a few years this plan would cause the degradation of carbon in the soil and demand more inputs leading to a lose of customers. They decided that there were enough home owners in the country that after 3-5 years of service they could afford to move on to new customers and start all over.

In the late 1980's the environmental movement experienced a resurgence and lawn care became a target. Now the buzz was to become an "organic" lawn care company, but all we knew was the four step "Chem Lawn" model. So we simply pulled out the urea and found some organic replacement and we were all in business. As any good grass grower knows that model failed miserably because it was expensive, misguided, and didn't address the problem of weed or soil management.

Now we are faced with these two models, neither of which is ideal. Neither model helps the business of lawn care grow and maintain profits; which is after all the real reason we are in the business. Both models are based on an "a la carte" approach that forces the over application of products affecting the health of the soil and the long-term quality of the lawns we are managing. More importantly as the products we are using fluctuate in price so do our profit margins. Remember a few years back when fertilizers had multiple in season price increases leaving the lawn care operator helpless to maintain profit?

The business model has to change and it is changing. Many lawn care operators are enjoying much better profits, better customer satisfaction and loyalty, fewer actual trips to customer sites saving a fortune in fuel costs (one of the biggest expenses in the business) and, yes - better lawns. This new model is "Carbon Based", a hybrid between the two, where some organic fertilizer is used, where soil testing identifies foundational weaknesses, where weed control can be part of the mix, and where the customer is no longer charged "a la carte" but instead as a yearly program.

Carbon based fertilizers are introduced as part of the program, perhaps only one of the applications in the rotation depending on the soil type. The soil will now start to build a carbon base so that when and if a synthetic fertilizer is used it can be broken down more efficiently and more completely and therefore over applications are no longer needed. The agronomic concept in play here is the carbon to nitrogen ratio in the soil, one of the most basic agronomic concepts in the business. If we feed the soil a continuous diet of synthetic fertilizer the available soil carbon will "burn out." They knew this back in the 1960's! If we have a program where we can replace some of the carbon it will mean the operator can use less during the season putting more money in the company's pocket.

Soil testing, which is fairly easy, is important and will provide a huge profit. Most home lawn soils are fairly heavy (high CEC) and typically have a calcium to magnesium imbalance. This often calls for some kind of simple adjustment to bring the soil into balance, something as easy as a limestone or a few gypsum applications. Not only does this become another profit center, but more importantly it sets up the company for greater success using a carbon based approach. Using a quality soil test that goes beyond pH and balancing the soil allows for more air and water to move through that soil. This improves the environment for microbial populations to proliferate and builds more humus that will be used to produce better turf quality at a lower input cost.

In summary, you need three things: a yearly program model, carbon based fertilizers, and soil testing. This model allows the operator to reduce inputs and travel time increasing profits and success. However keep in mind that this can only be done if the product being produced is of a high quality, and the soil has to be a part of that process. Sound complicated? It's not, and many of your competitors are starting to figure it all out making them much more competitive and ultimately more successful.

We can't completely outline the business model in the space of a newsletter. So please invite us to partner with you as we work together to realign your business goals; allowing you to move forward with a stronger more profitable business for the next generation of lawn care. Landscapes Supply and EarthWorks are both committed to helping you grow your business. Ask your sales rep about success stories of companies moving to a "Carbon Based" model and keep an eye out for the EarthWorks Soil First Academy for Lawn Care where we can further outline your future.