Is your lawn care company licensed?

 

Lawn Care Company

Would you hire someone to do electrical work in your home who was not a licensed electrician?

The answer should be a resounding NO!
Lawn care is no different. In the state of Indiana, it is the law that anyone who applies pesticides or fertilizers to a property for money must obtain a business license from the Office of Indiana State Chemist. That business also is required to employ at least one individual who is a certified applicator and pass the category 3b exam (turf management).
Why is this important to me, the homeowner?
 
Many of the fertilizers and pesticides that are applied to your lawn have very important instructions regarding the handling, use, and disposal of the product. As a certified and licensed company, we know how to properly use these products in ways that yield the best results.  We are also legally bound to only perform tasks indicated by our license and category type. This limits individuals and companies from providing services that they do not have proper training or understanding in.
I will just have my mowing guy spray when they are here. Is that ok?
 
Only if they are licensed! Individuals in Indiana must be licensed to apply any type of pesticide or fertilizer to a customers lawn regardless of the type of company they own. Even if your mowing company will “kill your weeds for free” they still must obtain a proper license.
Why is a license so important anyway?
 
As lawn care professionals, we take a lot of pride in our work. Our programs have taken years to develop and have required a lot of research and learning. Licenses are important because they protect everyone involved in the lawn care industry including the environment, the homeowner, and the applicator!
What about your applicators?
All of our lawn care applicators have passed the Indiana Pesticide Applicator Core Exam issued through the Office of Indiana State Chemist and are considered Registered Technicians, RT’s. Our applicators also attend training throughout the year to stay current on industry standards. All of our applicators follow strict guidelines regarding the handling and use of the products that are used.
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Our training in turf management gives us the knowledge to properly identify issues and provide our customers with the best solutions. We take pride in our work and in the lawn care industry. It is important to us that our customers know that we are dedicated to providing the best service and results. If you are not happy, we are not happy!
Be sure to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @BowmansProTurf and Instagram @Bowmans_Pro_Turf.

Dormant Seeding

dormant-seeding-1

Several times in the last week we received calls about seeding estimates before Spring. This is not unusual and, if done properly, can provide great results.

In the turf industry, we call this “Dormant Seeding.” The term dormant is used because the colder temperatures allow the seed to lay dormant in the soil and not germinate until the soil temperatures rise consistently above 50 degrees or higher (late April). It is very easy for us to schedule a dormant seeding application because it is completed before the unpredictable spring showers occur, typically in March.

Some of the reasons that you might consider dormant seeding are:

  • Thin turf due to winter damage
  • Poor turf recovery and density from the previous year turf issues
  • New construction around your home that disrupted turf growth
Some things to consider about seeding new turf areas include:
  • Is the soil sandy or filled with clay?
  • How much shade covers the desired area to be seeded?
  • What kind of seed will be planted?
  • How will irrigation be managed?

Healthy turf provides aesthetic, economical, social, and environmental benefits to not only the homeowner but to the community as a whole. Turf provides for areas for recreation, relaxation, and sports activities. The environment is also benefited through established turf by increased air quality, reducing soil erosion, filtering contaminants from water, and many other important ways.

A lot of the issues that are faced with seeding lawns comes after the seed is applied. During your consultation with us here at Bowman’s Pro Turf, Co., we will provide you with information regarding the proper care of your newly seeded area. It is important that the instructions are followed to help ensure the best results.
If you would like to request a free estimate for dormant seeding, give us a call at 812-448-1852! We would be happy to help you achieve the best yard possible.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @BowmansProTurf, Instagram @Bowmans_Pro_Turf, and Facebook!
Some of the content in this blog was gathered from the Purdue University Extension publication Establishing Turfgrass Areas From Seed (AY-3-W) and are available from the Education Store.

We are Bowman’s Pro Turf Co.

About Us!

Welcome!

We are excited that you have visited our blog. We will be sharing our knowledge about lawn care and general turf maintenance best practices. We hope that through our blog we can share information with you that you find useful and also helps make your lawn the best that it can be.

Who We Are:
Dennis and Christine Bowman founded Bowman’s Pro Turf Co. in 1987 with the goal of providing the best lawn treatments tailored to each individual customers’ needs. Over the last 28 years, Dennis and Christine have maintained that high standard of service to each of their customers while developing a unique and specific Integrated Pest Management program for each individual customer.

Dennis is certified through the Office of the Indiana State Chemist in the following categories:

Ornamental Pest Management (3A)
Turf Management (3B)
Industrial Weed Management (6)
Industrial, institutional structural, and health related pest management (7A)
Termite Control (7B)

For more information about these certifications and license categories you can visit the Office of the Indiana State Chemist website found here.

Christine is a Registered Technician through the Office of the State Chemist and just finished serving 9 years on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Professional Land & Landscape Association where she served as President for 1 year. She also is an active member of the 100+ Women Who Care in Clay County.

Beginning in the Winter of 2016, Andrew and Megan Bowman joined the team. Both Andrew and Megan are graduates of Indiana State University. Andrew with a degree in Recreation Management and Megan with a degree in Housing Marketing. They both have spent the last two years working in the Indianapolis area but are excited to bring their talents and knowledge from their previous careers to the Bowman’s Pro Turf Co. team.

We hope that you find value in our blog as we post about many different topics in the lawn care and turf management field. These topics will include recommendations about turf care, pest identification, best practices, and common myths.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter @BowmansProTurf and find us on Instagram @Bowmans_Pro_Turf and like us on Facebook!