High Tech versus Tried and True
First impressions of your property, commercial or residential, will impact the public’s perception and can dramatically impact the success of your business and/or the value of your property. Grounds maintenance is a critical part of creating and maintaining your curb appeal and promoting those good first impressions. They say curb appeal can account for drawing in nearly 70 percent of first-time sales for you savvy entrepreneurs out there.
From personal experience, caring for the lawn and landscape around my home was key in its quick sale a few years ago.
For grounds maintenance service providers, business, and homeowners, we’re seeing some high-tech trends in turf and tree care now and on the horizon:
Low Maintenance Landscapes – Strategically select plants with fewer pest problems, greater tolerance for drought, and ones that can withstand the extremes of all four seasons of Missouri weather.
Smart Irrigation – Properly designed and implemented, the irrigation system can water different areas of your property based on the plants’ needs, sun exposure, and drainage. In other parts of the country, capturing rainwater to re-use for irrigation has become more popular to aide in water conservation efforts.
Landscape lighting – With advancements in tech and more efficient systems, affordable options are now available. The addition of lighting to your landscape can increase its aesthetic appeal.
Innovations in Equipment – Better small gas engines producing less emissions, lighter weight, and increased fuel efficiencies have made a significant impact in the world grounds maintenance. Battery powered hand tools, trimmers, mowers and trucks will continue to become more prevalent.
Artificial Intelligence – AI is infiltrating all industries and the green industry, being heavy in labor, is no different. AI-powered robot mowers using cameras and sensors to navigate properties safely will cut the lawn all on their own and save a lot of labor. Eventually, AI bot-powered diagnosticians will be able to troubleshoot outdoor equipment issues. They eventually could also identify and spot spray weeds, identify other pest related issues in the lawn and landscape, and offer solutions. Autonomous trucks and trailers are on the horizon as well.
Minichromosome Technology – Currently trending in agriculture, it will soon move to other plant-related industries. Rather than modifying plant genetics, you can enhance a plant’s traits with minichromosome tech. Increased drought tolerance and increased pest resistance is possible.
We’re still a few years out from much of this tech taking root here in COMO, but it’s certainly on its way. For now, we still promote tried and true methods to manage your property:
- Water deep, less often.
- Raise your mower blades and keep them sharp.
- Manage weeds before they become a big problem.
- Prune twice per season to keep things manageable.
- Mulch is primarily for appearances, but can help with weed management and will promote the overall health of your landscape plants by providing organic matter to the soil around them.
- Aerate and seed in the fall to set your lawn up for success the following season.
- Remove leaves and debris before winter.
- Grounds maintenance is complex and understanding that what works in one place may not work everywhere else.
- Hire a local, reputable lawn and landscape care service provider.
There is a significant advantage to hiring a business, like Atkins, to be your grounds maintenance service provider, specifically when it comes to equipment, tools, systems and methods in the world of lawns and landscapes. We’re always here when you need us! That’s just what neighbors do.
A Columbia native, Shaun Henry found a home at Atkins in 2000 when he started his career as a turf technician. Shaun holds a commercial applicator’s license through the Missouri Department of Agriculture and is a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Mid-America Green Industry Council, and the Missouri Green Industry Alliance. Shaun strongly believes in the importance of a great customer experience where the Atkins staff knows their clients and anticipates their needs accordingly. Shaun is an MU alumnus and has a degree in plant science.
(573) 874-5100
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