Allentuck Landscaping’s Inside Dirt – March 2017

crazy dog face

Ready Or Not. Hear Comes March Madness

It has been a short and strange winter. If you are like me, the unusually warm weather has me itching to get going with some real landscape work. Let’s make this spring better than ever. Here are some thoughts I have on how we can do just that:

  • Work smarter, not harder – make sure we have all of our materials and tools on our trucks so we can hit each job hard and fast.
  • Run the day – be prepared before we get to 6:30 am so there is no guess work during the “morning zoo”.
  • Make each customer feel special – sometimes it is hard to remember that customers make it possible for us to work. Make them know they count.
  • Take care of our family – just like customers, everyone who works here are Allentuck Landscaping Co. is special and deserves our  appreciation.

In the madness of each day, sometimes it is hard to remember these for basic things. Let’s each try to do each one a little better ever day.

Thank you for everything you do to make Allentuck Landscaping Co. remarkable!

Bruce

 

Living Our Core Values

As each of you know, sitting in a loader day after day, hour after hour, can be boring and tedious. It can also be very rough on the body. Unfortunately, that is what it took to “clean” and organize the field. The soil and debris piles had collected for 10 plus years and it was time to take care of the problem.

Felipe, David and Jesus were primarily charged with getting the job done. Each of them spent considerable time not only working in the loader, but also hand separating limbs and even trash. We now have a high quality topsoil to use in our projects and the field is organized and much neater. It was a thankless job but they never complained. The each kept plugging along and did an excellent job.

Having a can-do attitude is one of our Core Values.

 Celebrations This Month!

 Job Openings

We still have several several positions that we need to fill and could use everyone’s help. Recruiting bonuses are paid for anyone who helps us fill open spots!

Crew Members  – we need 4-5 more good Crew Members

Senior Crew Leader – Equipment Store – must be a current Crew Leader. This person manages the Equipment store. Please see Tim if you are interested.

 Thought For The Month

 

 Monthly Safety Line

Skid Steer Loaders are one of our most valuable pieces of equipment, and they can make a job much less strenuous on our staff. They also pose one of the greatest dangers in our work. Follow the guidelines in this months Safety Line to assure that you are using the Skid Steer Loader Safely.

Please share the Monthly Safety Line with your Crew Members. It is available in English and Spanish at the following link:

 

 Good Work – Photos From The Past Month

Ask Me Anything…

Have a question, comment, complaint or idea for Bruce? Click below to email it to him.

 

How to Navigate HOA Rules & Permits for Landscape Projects

Nothing kills the excitement of a new backyard project faster than a letter from your HOA telling you to “please resubmit.” Or worse—“stop work immediately.” That’s why understanding HOA Rules & Permits for Landscape Projects isn’t optional. It’s the guardrail that keeps your dream patio, fire pit, or front-yard makeover from turning into an expensive do-over.Good news though: once you understand how the process works, you’ll move through it quicker, cleaner, and with far fewer surprises. Start With Your HOA’s

READ MORE »

The Best Privacy Trees for Homeowners: Green Giant Arborvitae vs. Leyland Cypress vs. Cryptomeria

Backyard privacy shouldn’t be complicated. Homeowners just want a fast-growing, good-looking screen that blocks noise, hides neighboring windows, and makes a yard feel like a retreat. The best privacy trees can do all of that, and more. But not every evergreen behaves the same way. Some shoot up like rockets. Others handle cold better. Some stay dense year-round with almost no babysitting. Choosing the right one matters, or you’ll be staring at gaps, browning branches, or a tree that simply

READ MORE »

Allentuck Landscaping Co. Honored by CaringMatters

This past Saturday night was one of those moments that makes you stop, look around, and think, “Wow… this is why we do what we do.” At the CaringMatters Silver Lining Gala, Allentuck Landscaping Co. was honored with the Corporate Partnership Award—a recognition that means a lot more than a plaque and a photo on stage. CaringMatters supports families through serious illness, caregiving, and grief. They provide comfort when life is at its hardest. Being connected to that kind of

READ MORE »

Top 5 November Gardening Tips: Keep Your Landscape Thriving

As November settles in, the garden enters a period of winding down. But there’s still plenty to do to help your plants survive the coming winter and thrive come spring. Here are five essential November gardening tips to keep your landscape healthy, vibrant, and ready for the cold season ahead. 1. Protect Perennials and Tender Plants For many gardeners, the risk of frost is looming, and November is the time to take protective measures: Mulch Perennials: Apply a layer of

READ MORE »

Your Custom Patio Planning Checklist: Everything to Consider Before You Build In Potomac, MD, Bethesda, MD, Chevy Chase, MD and Surrounding Areas

There’s nothing quite like stepping onto your own patio for the first time. The smell of fresh stone, the way the space instantly feels like an outdoor living room — it’s where lazy Saturday mornings and long summer nights collide. But before that first step comes a much less glamorous (and far more important) one: planning. A patio isn’t something you wing. It’s something you design to fit your life. This custom patio planning checklist will walk you through the

READ MORE »

Why Leaves Change: The Science Behind Fall Leaf Color

Every autumn, as the air turns crisp and the morning light softens, we catch ourselves staring at the trees. There’s something magical about the way green leaves shift into brilliant oranges, reds, and golds. In landscaping terms? That gorgeous transition is all about fall leaf color — and yes, there’s real science behind it. The Green Stage: What’s Behind the Summer Leaves During spring and summer, your trees’ leaves are hard at work. They’re tiny factories, using the green pigment

READ MORE »