Online contents

Take me to the top

Last month was our 2015 Top 100 issue, where we not only gave you a list of the highest-grossing-revenue companies, but also featured stories on some of those businesses. We’ve created a one-stop-shop for all things Top 100, including previous lists and links to virtual tours we did of four companies last year. Visit bit.ly/LLTop100 to get a recap of the largest companies in the industry.

Major gas retailers plan expanded E15 availability

Gasoline retailers Kum & Go and Sheetz announced recently that they will sell E15 fuel in three new states and 125 stations, Reuters reported. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and other trade groups have been trying for several years to prevent the blended fuel – which contains 15 percent ethanol – from coming to market. Research has shown that the higher level of ethanol can damage or destroy engines that aren’t designed to run it. Visit bit.ly/LLe15gas for the full story.

Employee retention

Five years ago, we covered the topic of retaining employees. Visit, bit.ly/retain2010 to find out if you use the same methods now, or maybe you have drifted away from a tried and true strategy and need a refresher.

Show us what you’ve got

We want to see your beautiful projects and how you make them come to life. Join us on Instagram at @lawnlandscape and use #lawnlandscape to show off your teams and their hard work. We’ll even give you a look at some of the behind-the-scenes action here at L&L.

And speaking of showing off, we’re looking for your best tips and tricks for staying efficient. Whether it’s getting out the door on time in the morning, tightening up routes or closing deals, tell us how you trim the fat. Just use #landscapehacks on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram to share your best practices. You could be featured in a future issue of Lawn & Landscape magazine.

The spoken word

Below are just a few of the great podcasts on our Lawn Care Radio Network. Visit, bit.ly/lcrnweb to listen to all of them, or visit, bit.ly/lcrnetwork to subscribe for free on iTunes.

How to sell your company
Bringing in good employees can be tough – but you can get better quality hires when you show off how your company cares for the team. Jason Cupp, former business owner and now growth consultant, talks with Editor Chuck Bowen about making the right connections.
bit.ly/lcrnsell

Branch out
No one wants to book a job and then show up with no plants to put in the ground. And with more jobs available, there can be less plant material around when it’s needed. Bud Powell, vice president of sales and marketing for PlantBid, talks about how reaching out by using technology can help.
bit.ly/lcrnbranch

The state of social media for business
It’s not a bad thing, but Landscape Leadership’s Chris Heiler says the buzz of social media has worn off a bit for companies. Heiler gives tips on how you can still use it to market your company, and discusses some other trends he sees happening in 2015.
bit.ly/llsocialmedia