Article by Norm Frawley

In 1979 the California Landscape Contractors Association began the development of a test to measure an individual's landscape installation skills. After nearly five years of work and study the first test was administered in 1983. In 1994 ALCA purchased rights to exam and began to offer it to state associations for national administration. CLCA has joined forces with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) to offer three Core tests in Installation, Maintenance and Irrigation in addition to Advanced Specialties.

The purpose of the test is to find individuals in the landscape installation field who are competent in the practical application of the requisite skills necessary for the success of a landscape company. The two day test is comprised of fifteen hours of timed hands-on work on thirty problems in eight skill areas. Those skill areas are plan reading, irrigation installation, plant installation, concrete installation, grading and drainage, brick on sand construction, sand box construction, and seed and sod installation.

Individuals who pass this test become Certified Landscape Technicians or CLTs. There are at present many CLTs who have proven their ability to perform their skills at the highest level.

This unique group of individuals is part of the CLCA's effort to improve the image of the CLT CLCA 2 Green Industry. Clients and the public in general need to view landscape contractors as competent professional business people.

The test has been described as being harder than the State of California's licensed contractor test because it requires the applicants to demonstrate skill through performance. A written test measures the ability of the mind. A skill test measures the ability to apply that knowledge.

To be eligible to take the test applicants must have worked approximately 4,000 hours in 13 areas of landscaping or have worked full time for two or more years with a licensed landscape contractor. The test is not limited to members of the CLCA. Anyone from any state meeting the qualifications may apply. At present, two tests are held each year, one in Southern California and one in Northern California. The test is judged by licensed landscape contractors and CLT CLCA 3 certified nurserymen.

The Common Elements are required skills common to all core tests. Applicants must demonstrate their mastery of:

Work Orders and Reports
First Aid Safety
Plan Reading
Plant Sensitivity
Plant Identification
Sod Installation
Program Controller
Irrigation Identification
Lateral Repair and Head Adjustment
Truck and Trailer

Maintenance Core

Written General Comprehension
Pruning
21" Mower
36" Mower
Aerator
Power Blower
Edger Trimmer
Riding Mower
Pesticides
Fertilizer
Tree planting, Staking and Guying
Chainsaw

Installation Core

Plant Layout

Grading and Drainage

Instrument
Paver Installation
Rototiller
Tractor Operation
Tree Planting, Staking and Guying
Chainsaw

Irrigation Test

Irrigation General Comprehension
Irrigation Plan Reading
Lateral Installation
Main line Installation
Valve Repair
Valve Wiring
Pipe Installation Equipment

Advanced Specialties

Advanced Specialties Endorsements are advanced exams which are offered to Certified Landscape Technicians upon successful completion of the Common Elements and any Core Test.

Benefits of Certification

Promotes professionalism for individuals
Provides international recognition
Validates landscape skills
Your company is registered as an employee of Certified Landscape Technicians
Creates opportunities for career advancement in the industry.

Recognition

Persons passing a Certification Test will receive a numbered certificate, identification card and logo items.
Employers are welcome to advertise that they have certified employees on their staffs.

Your company benefits from the increased professionalism of your employees. Your employees benefit with proven credentials that will assist them in advancement and their overall career. Ultimately, the consumer will benefit from the job skills that will enhance their landscaping.

For more information about the test and how to apply see:

http://www.clca.org/About_CLCA/certification.asp

Lawn Care Tips

When should I apply pre-emergent herbicides for crabgrass prevention?

In central Ohio, for example, it is typically recommended to apply an herbicide by the application deadline of April 15, or April 22 if the homeowner uses a product that contains the active ingredient pendimethalin, which also has some early post-emergent activity. The deadline in southern Ohio is about April 1, and in northern Ohio, about April 30.

There are several pre-emergent products on the market, including an organic product that contains corn gluten meal. This product is available through specialty garden catalogs and is more expensive than the synthetic products.

Though a few crabgrass seeds germinate by the April 15 deadline date, the vast majority of seeds germinate in May. Germination begins when the temperature in the top inch of soil reaches 52-54 degrees or more for at least 5-7 consecutive days; soil moisture must also be present. Seeds also need light to germinate, so those thin areas in the lawn are likely places for crabgrass to become established.

If you have seeded the lawn this spring and still want to prevent crabgrass, there is only one pre-emergent herbicide to use that won’t kill the lawn grass seed. Look for siduron or Tupersan and to be aware that this product is more difficult to find and more costly than other products.

As with other pests, it is recommended that treatment be targeted. If crabgrass was a problem in the lawn last season, and it was allowed to go to seed, then you will probably want to apply a pre-emergent herbicide. If you are cutting new ornamental beds in the lawn, if areas along the driveway or sidewalks died out last season, or if the lawn is thin from grubs or disease injury, you might want to treat those areas with a crabgrass preventer. If you maintain a dense lawn and have not seen any crabgrass in the past two or three years, you probably don’t need to apply a herbicide.

Shade Tolerant Grasses?

Many grass species and cultivars are sold as shade tolerant. Shade tolerant grasses for Indiana include fine-leaf fescues for dry shade and tall fescue for damp shade. Realize that the word "tolerant" is the operative word, which does not imply "shade-loving." These grasses may survive, but will never thrive in the shade like they would in full sun. They will not maintain a dense stand, can withstand hardly any traffic, and may need regular reseeding to provide even an acceptable stand. That's all the more reason to avoid trying to maintain turf in the shade.

If You Must Seed, Do It Now

Late summer is the best time to seed, but sometimes turf must be seeded in the spring. Raking the soil before seeding and watering lightly will help to improve the success of spring seedings.

Information for these Lawn Care Tips were provided by the Ohio State University and Purdue Extension.

A Real Education: The CLCA Certification Program CLT - Certified Landscape Technician

Lawn Care Tips

A Real Education: The CLCA Certification Program
CLT - Certified Landscape Technician