PROFESSIONAL | DEDICATED | EXPERIENCED

JULY 2012

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.

Now that summer is in full

swing, our lives are filled with the usual

warm weather activities: summer

vacations, baseball games, and backyard

barbeques. Some of the important things

happen to get missed in the chaos of

everyday life. Thus, on behalf of the 80

H&M team members that you interact with

in some fashion throughout the season, I

want to thank you all for your loyalty over

the years. Whether they service your

account on a daily basis, clean up your

yards so you can enjoy them throughout

the summer, or develop your incredible

outdoor living space, they are all doing it

because of you, the customer.

As we continue to build H&M

Landscaping, we are focused on a culture

where our team members enjoy coming to

work every day and are willing to provide

outstanding customer service. We know

that great customer service means the

difference between having an average

experience with our company, or an

amazing one. We also recognize that our

services are an affordable luxury and you

have many service providers you can

choose to do business with. But at the end

of the day, you have chosen us. That

small, yet very important detail sometimes

get overlooked as we grow, and I want to

assure you, it is essential to the image we

currently have and it continues to be a top

priority in our growth as one of the premier

service providers in the Cleveland area.

With that being said, here at

H&M we are committed to recognizing and

rewarding our outstanding team members

that go above and beyond to make your

experience with our company exceptional.

Unfortunately, I don’t get the pleasure of

personally meeting each and every one of

you so I am not always aware of some of

the great things our team does on a daily

basis. It is important to me to create a

vehicle where all of your voices can be

heard, so we have developed two

resources for you to let us know who

“exceeded your expectations the first time”

and how they provided the ultimate

customer service that made your

experience with us a great one. Visit our

website on our team member page and fill

out the attached web form, or email me at

customerservice@hmlandscaping.com.

Your kind words will be passed

along to our team and allow me to know

who is out there performing above and

beyond. You will also be entered into a

drawing at the end of the year to win a

$250 certificate off your next H&M

Landscaping project. Thanks in advance

for helping me continue to develop a

culture where customers needs come first.

Enjoy your summer and I look forward to

all your emails in the near future.

Mark Mazzurco Mark Mazzurco, Company President

Our Experienced Design Professionals

Will Bring Your Visions Into Reality

CONTACT US!

10389 KINSMAN ROAD

P.O. BOX 69

NEWBURY, OHIO 44065

[PHONE] 440.564.1157

[FAX] 440.564.5609

A healthy, well established lawn is more than good looking, it is the key to preserving the value

of your home. Regular maintenance enhances curb appeal, making your home and neighborhood

particularly attractive to passersby and potential buyers.

Since summer is in full swing, I want to discuss a few problems specific to lawns and pass

along some tips for dealing with those issues. Everyone’s goal is to have a lush, green lawn all summer.

You want to make sure you raise your mower up to 3” to promote deep roots, reduce weeds, and allow

moisture to be held in between waterings.

Keep your lawn fertilized on a 6 to 8 week cycle, providing 1 pound of nitrogen per application.

This ensures you will not get any surges in growth and helps maintain uniform color all season long. Keep

an eye on any unusual brown spots that are appearing in your lawn, because that could indicate insets or

lawn disease. Grubs will start feeding in mid-June, so make sure you have applied grub control before

then. If you have a past history of grub problems, I recommend that you apply a grub product as soon as possible. The grubs like to feed on the tender roots of the

turf plant, causing wilted and brown patches all over your lawn. To check and see if you have a grub infestation, pull the sod back and inspect for a white ‘c-

shaped’ insect.

Of all the lawn pests, fungal diseases are some of the most difficult to diagnose and treat. There are over 100 different lawn diseases to date that can

infect your turf. Some are harmless, and others can cause turf loss within 24 hours. Now that summer is upon us, this is when disease can become the most

prevalent. The number one culprit to lawn disease is water. That is why I recommend watering your lawn early in the morning instead of the evening, because if the

water droplets remain on the leaf overnight, disease can set in rather quickly. It can spread via foot traffic, mowers, air, and animals. Every lawn has the

disease organism in it; the key is to take care of your lawn so the diseases remain suppressed. There are different fungicides used to control disease if need be

and several applications are usually required.

I hope I have opened your eyes to a few key turf tips that will help you evaluate your lawn the next time you lay eyes on it. Until the following edition,

have a good summer!

SUMMER LAWN CARE TIPS ED SMITH, CHEMICAL AND QUALITY CONTROL SUPERVISOR

MAINTENANCE DIVISION UPDATES MIKE BILSKY

MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

While our construction division continues to do well, H&M’s property maintenance division is

absolutely thriving, and poised for additional success in the near future. Within the last year, our maintenance

division has grown over 13%, and is known as one of Northeast Ohio’s premier maintenance providers. We

attribute this growth and success not only to our ability to perform top notch weekly maintenance, but also to

you, our faithful customers. With this dedication and work ethic, our division has the ability to individually tailor a

landscape maintenance package to fit your budget and current landscape desires. Property maintenance is sure

to improve the overall appearance of your landscape, and we pride ourselves on performing such services in a

courteous, professional manner. Some of our plans for future growth include the addition of a west side office in

late 2012, which will allow us to more efficiently service the region. We will continue to invest our time and effort

into providing quality services at competitive prices, and offering unparalleled customer service. Stay tuned for

more maintenance updates, and have a wonderful summer!

THE H&M INSIGHT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO OUR H&M

TEAM MEMBERS

Jerry Wilthew, July 4th

Kyle Ruckel, August 13

Jose Garcia, August 15

Enjoy your day!

THE DESIGN PROCESS: SUMMER PROJECTS

LEE WISE

CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR

BBQ’s - Graduations - Reunions - Parties - Weddings

- Holidays - Sports

More and more, people trend to entertaining at home.

Imagine regaling your guests from your world class

deck or patio, complete with a brand new pool, hot

tub, and full service outdoor kitchen.

Everyone sitting in comfort and tables under a vine

wrapped trellis, or in deck chairs surrounding the

custom masonry fire-pit, enjoying food and beverage

served from a full service outdoor kitchen and BBQ.

The pondless water feature cycles bubbles effortlessly

while everyone listens to the music pumped through

hidden speakers, or watches the big game on the

HDTV hung above the mantle of the outdoor fireplace.

All this, in the relative privacy of a beautifully land-

scaped fenced-in backyard. Sounds incredible but

probably way too expensive, right?

similar projects your contractor has previously

performed. Depending on the size of the

project, a design is often required. During this

process, convey all your wants and desires.

The design process generally takes at least

two weeks from the time you met with the

contractor until the time you get a returned

design and a proposal in your hands. Remem-

ber, this is your project, and your expectations

did not just arise overnight, so be patient.

When considering the design, you’ll

get a clearer picture if you contemplate the

drawing multiple times. Always note questions

or changes you’d like to make on the print or

proposal as needed. Once you have finalized

the design and are ready to move forward, you

must get contracts in place and documents

signed. Any reputable contractor will have a

backlog of 4 to 6 weeks at this time of year.

If you have patience, it will all be

worth it in the end. Should you wish to discuss

your recent thoughts or questions, please feel

free to talk to one of our design staff members.

as smooth as possible when you’re looking at having a landscape

design done. First, you will need to develop a budget for your project

and convey this to your landscape contractor. Many people often say, “I

have no idea what this costs,” or do not want to disclose this

information with the thought that they will receive a better deal i f they

do not tell us. This actually works against the buyer, and drags out the

process by requiring more meetings and phone calls.

Choosing a contractor may be the second most important

step, following your budget. Please keep in mind other projects that

sparked your ideas, and ask the owner who did the work for them. This

is often a good starting point and will serve as a bar for your

expectations. Verify quali fications and references, and ask to see

Well here it is, only June, and it feels like August with the sweltering temperatures! However, what a lot of

people don’t know is that H&M has the answer to this problem: a professionally installed swimming pool. H&M has been

installing pools since 1999, something many of our customers are unaware of. We have

installed swimming pools in yards that people believed to be impossible. When it comes

to our pool division, we apply the same dedication to customer satisfaction and an

outstanding end result that you have come to expect from our maintenance and

construction projects. So the next time you’re outside and feeling the heat, give H&M a

call. Let us show what we can do for you.

CHECK OUT H&M ONLINE!

WWW.HMLANDSCAPING.COM

WWW.HMSNOWPROS.COM

AND SEARCH US ON FACEBOOK!

NICK TINIK

SENIOR MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

drought season, twice a week is recommended, dropping back to once a week in the fall.

We all have busy schedules this time of the year, so that’s where the professionals here

at H&M come in. There are ways to water without having to stand there with a hose. You could use

irrigation systems (permanent or temporary), timers on the hose bib, drop hoses, or gator bags. All of

which we install and service in house here at H&M. If you think this may be the perfect option to help

protect your current investment, give us a call and set up a free consultation. Thanks for your

business and have a great summer!

Historically, many of our clients have

opted to complete their projects in

phases. Patio this year… fire-pit next.

Outdoor kitchen the year after, and so

forth. It’s a very common approach and

whether you choose to do your project in

phases or all at once, the overall success

depends upon a good plan.

Simply put, you want to avoid putting the

cart in front of the horse.

A good example of this would be installing a fire-pit,

then later adding the gas log starter. Or having pillars

put in and later installing electric service and ambience

lighting. It is more efficient (and therefore less expen-

sive) to either do it all at once or at least have a plan in

place to install upgrades later on.

Naturally, the entire H&M Landscaping design/build

team is always available as a resource to you whenever

you need to ask a professional. As you well know,

experience counts. Enjoy your summer!

The topic I’m discussing today always seems to be a common question I receive from my customers. “How

much water should I give my plants,” “How often should I water my lawn,” “Do I need to water established trees?”

Allow me to clarify some important common practices of being water wise. Efficient watering practices conserves

water, helps maintain healthy landscapes, and reduces maintenance costs. It also helps conserve energy costs,

which in turn helps reduce your carbon footprint and contributes to a healthy environment.

Let me start with lawns. New lawns require the most

attention and care, as the first growing season is the most vital to a

new lawn’s success. New lawns should be watered 3 to 4 times daily,

maintaining a moist soil composition by using a misting method or a

fine spray to avoid wash away. It is also very important to avoid stand-

ing water, as this will decay the seed and prevent proper germination.

Established lawns on a regular feeding program are a little

easier to maintain. An established lawn requires about 1” of water or

rain a week, preferably broken down into two 1/2” increments. The

best time to water a lawn is between 4 and 8 AM. Evaporation is low, so more water gets absorbed by the soil.

Vegetation dries quickly once the sun rises, minimizing the risk of disease or fungus. Deep watering practices en-

sure grass root systems grow deep, strong, and long.

Tree and shrub watering is pretty simple as well, but crucial to their existence. With trees and shrubs,

you want to use a soak method: this means taking the nozzle off and just using the natural stream of the hose. 3

minutes per plant is sufficient for most shrubbery, and it’s important that you water around the plant’s

drip line. The drip line varies by the size of the specimen. For pine and deciduous trees, 10 to 15

minutes per plant is sufficient. The frequency per week varies based on the time of year, as well as

the behavior of Mother Nature. During early spring and summer, once per week should be enough. In

TO WATER OR NOT TO WATER, IS IT REALLY A QUESTION?

BACKYARD ENTERTAINING AT ITS FINEST

MARK BARKER

SENIOR CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR As summer begins again, many of

us will have more time to spend in our yards

(hopefully). During the outdoor months, we

tend to pay more attention to our surroundings,

visit locations that are not typically in our daily

routine, and start to think more about our own

outdoor spaces. How many times have you

said, “we need to do something with this yard,”

or “that would look great in our space”? In this

business, it is not uncommon for me to visit at

least 500 homes and landscapes a year and

ask myself at least one of these two questions

multiple times a week. Whether you are

capable of doing this project or not, it is better

to look into the possibility further as opposed to

pushing your ideas to the wayside.

There are a few steps that you may

or may not know that will help your project go

”

Join us in our journey to

create your own work of

art, right before your

eyes .

KEN NOVAK

CARPENTRY SUPERVISOR

H&M’S SOLUTION TO BEAT THE HEAT

“