Landscape ABCs

Looking for some study tips? A few mowing hints, drainage dos and don’ts or hardscape how-tos? Soon, landscape contractors can hit the books for this technical information with Associated Landscape Contractor’s of America (ALCA) Employee Training Manuals – available in both Spanish and English and due off the presses soon.

The manuals are a collaborative effort between ALCA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC), which has published four editions of the sought-after guide, said Marcia Higgins, professional standards manager, ALCA, Herndon, Va. “It was so well done and really met the needs of people in their state, and over the course of time many other states bought the book from Colorado,” she noted. “It was the best of everything out there.”

Designed to help contractors study for the Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) exam, ALCA decided to broaden the guide’s focus and spin it into a book that supervisors could use to guide new employees or to facilitate training meetings, Higgins identified.

“We want to be a source that will have more appeal and a broader market than just people preparing for the CLT exam,” she said. “The intent is that a company could use this as their training curriculum. They could go through this book in an organized fashion and use it to lead training meetings. We also hope the market will be there for any sort of industry that has its own grounds crew – like parks and recreation departments, hospitals and universities.”

Written by an expert in adult education, the manuals each cover core information, such as first aid and safety, plant identification, and plant sensitivity and use, for example. In addition to this information, the three manuals will zero in on their particular focus: irrigation, installation or maintenance. “We want the books to be specific and we’ve had industry professionals review it along the way,” Higgins said.

Following are some subjects covered in each manual:

• Irrigation Manual: Plan reading, instrument use, irrigation system components, water management, water auditing, irrigation installation equipment and safety
• Installation Manual: Plan reading, instrument use, practical information for grading and drainage, hardscapes, specialty features (i.e., water and night lighting), plant installation, edging, soil/seed/sod work and equipment operation
• Maintenance Manual: Comprehensive information for turf maintenance, spring/fall cleanup, turf types, aeration, chemical applications, weeds and pests, diseases, plant care, equipment operation, basic irrigation maintenance and snow removal

For more information on Employee Training Manuals, contact ALCA at 800/395-2522.

The author is Managing Editor – Special Projects for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at khampshire@lawnandlandscape.com..