Lots of planning, along with products such as XCU® slow-release fertilizer from Koch
Turf & Ornamental, helped The Yard Works stay one step ahead all season long.
Chad Haney has a lot of people
to please and a lot of bosses.
That’s because his company,
The Yard Works of Avon Lake, Ohio,
exclusively services homeowners’
associations (HOAs), planned
developments and multi-unit housing
communities.
“You have to deal with a lot of
decision-makers,” says Haney. “Not
only do we have to do a good job
for the developers and property
managers, but each and every resident
ends up being a decision-maker to
some degree.”
Haney knows the turf is the
largest and most visible aspect of
these properties, and the residents
of these communities view the lawn
as their lawn and judge Haney and
his company on mowing, fertilizing
and weed control. That’s one of
the reasons he uses enhanced efficiency
fertilizer products from
Koch, specifically XCU® slow-release
fertilizers.
Haney uses a 14-0-4 with
Prodiamine for crabgrass prevention,
which gives him great results and
great value, and a 32-3-5 with XCU® fertilizer for the rest of the season, which lasts
longer and offers more consistent
nitrogen release.
“Late spring and early summer
can be very wet in northeast Ohio,
and what I found with products that
I used in the past is that my lawns
were losing color two to three weeks
into an application,” says Haney. “The
other problem is that the temperatures
are pretty good for optimal turf growth
almost all summer, so, along with the
rain factor, I also didn’t need surge
growth. The last thing I wanted was to
have to go back and re-fertilize what
I already did or feel like I needed to
cut what I was using in order to slow
down growth. When XCU® fertilizer became
an option, I felt like it solved a lot of
these problems because it gives me
more consistent release.”
Every year, Haney sits down at
the end of the season and reviews
his fertilization program to see if any
changes need to be made. He looks
at how his fertilization impacted his
other services, such as mowing. He
also looks at what challenges his
company faced through the growing
season and how they can make
improvements for the next season.
When it comes to determining
fertilizer product selection and what
types of fertilizers to use, Haney
relies on what he has seen in the field
throughout the year.
“Apart from running The Yard Works, one of my
job tasks is being a good account manager to all of
my clients by going out and keeping a close eye on
the impact our fertilizer program is having on their
properties,” Haney says. “I love doing this because it
keeps me in touch with what is going on in the field.
I think to myself, ‘Is the mowing being impacted?
Is our weed control good enough? Did I have grub
breakthrough? How did our customers think we did
this season?’ Asking myself these questions helps me
determine what I need to change or keep the same for
the next season.”
Aside from selection, there’s inventory to manage,
which can be tricky. But Haney says he’s fortunate to
have a consistent book of business and to be able to
manage his growth. Since he focuses on multi-unit
housing, he usually has a pretty good idea by the end of
the year how much acreage he’ll be managing the next
season and how much material he’ll need.
“I’m fortunate to have enough space at our facility
to order and store several applications at one time,
but I’m also able to work with my suppliers to schedule
and delay delivery on material until I need it,” Haney
says. “I can count on the distributors and manufacturers
that Koch is partnered with to provide me with
good, consistent, quality fertilizer. This all allows me
to meet with my suppliers over the winter and sit
down to discuss products and options, as well as take
advantage of early-order programs and discounts.”