Joseph Fearn

You LOVE tulips got it. Thanks for reading and commenting. As always, you are the best. Rock Chalk, JF

It seems every landscape site has a “thing” it is known for. Intentional by the Grounds team or not, this "thing" is usually something our patrons identify and bond with. It can be the play of the course, the design of the gardens, the maintenance regime or something else. Flower bulbs are a thing that many of our operations undertake. Bulbs have relatively low resource entry point, are proven performers with little preparation, and have broad appeal. But when even homeowners employ a gardening tactic, how does my site differentiate. Ant even more importantly, how can my site differentiate from other professionals. Can we? Bulbs can be a significant investment in money, labor and impact. We all need to get the most out of our displays. SOP Tulips, and other spring flowering bulbs, are a mainstay for most landscapes. They are installed in fall and flower the following spring. The most common bulbs are tulips and daffodils, but can include crocus, hyacinth, plus spring planted bulbs such as lily. They can be planted in a variety of ways whether formally in rows, or informally in drifts, alone or in complement to other plants. Here at KU Darwin hybrid tulips were traditionally planted in large uniform color blocks in predictable shapes. This resulted in quite impactful floral displays that garnered much appreciation. These displays lasted for 2-3 weeks and were commonly used as backdrops for graduation pictures. After flowering, bulbs were removed to create space for installation of summer annuals. The spent bulbs were sold as could be at significant discount, given away, or disposed of. The classic Darwin tulip display makes an impact but is short-lived and commonplace. The Proposal The tulips here at KU met expectations and the university community knew what to expect. The approach was conservative and consistent. These displays were proven but predictable. While sometimes this is acceptable, the results were delivering diminishing returns. Fortunately, this commonplace approach left a lot of possibilities for improvement on the table. In fall 2022, we made a strategic choice to try to expand the performance of our tulip protocol. The first step was expanding the possible types of tulips. No longer would we only use exclusively Darwin hybrid. We also looked for long-lasting mixes that could extend the bloom period. The most apparent change though was opening the color palette. No longer would only yellow and red be the default as in the recent past. Another aspect was the use of doubles, parrots and fringed bulbs. By coupling these expanded floral attributes with a well-executed design, we ensure display performance and increase aesthetic output. Perhaps the most impactful was simply the novelty of changing from what was expected. We did not share our ideas with the campus and therefore it was quite a happy surprise for our community. In Fall of 2023 we took the design a step further with the introduction of daffodils to our designs. Daffodils extend the bloom period even farther than tulips alone and add another texture to our displays. Once again, we chose to go beyond the standard yellow trumpets and include a wide variety of daffodil cultivars. I am sure we are not the first location to mix daffs and tulips, but in my experience, it is not a common practice. Mixing daffodils and tulips into your displays increases appeal and extends bloom period. Results Like so many of our efforts in grounds management, implementation of a new process or objective must be measured by tangible results. I am very happy, and a bit relieved, to report that our bulb program is a resounding success. As the 2025 spring bulb season ends, we have now had two years of beautiful, long lasting displays. Our university community, which for a long period looked forward to recognizable designs, has embraced our new displays. We were prepared for some opposition, but if it happened, it never made it to Grounds Crew ears. It appears that the university is happy to see reasonable change in the pursuit of improving deliverables, and understands we make these decisions in the best interest of all. Our spring bulb displays now are complex, durable, and broadly appreciated on our campus. Next Step Grounds management and landscape design is a constantly evolving and competitive profession. Keeping abreast of emerging trends is smart business. Successful operations know which trends to incorporate and which ones are more a fad. Establishing your own trend is even better. Here at KU a vibrant bulb display is one of the things we want to highlight. We are now considering how we can push our efforts even further. First, we will continue to get our bulb mix right by experimenting and keeping proven performers. In several beds we will not remove spent bulbs but will interplant with perennials to try to get self-replenishing displays that could be rotated out after several years. Lastly, we will also be forthright in sharing these efforts via social media. By incorporating a dynamic bulb display, we set a tempo for other areas of our operation and tell our community we are striving to be our best. And that is an idea worth planting. From first daffs opening March 11 to later tulips dominating on April 23, our display changes and keeps showing out for nearly 2 months.

Recently I commented on a TurfNet Forum post under the heading “Robotic Mower Readiness Score”. My response expressing resistance to autonomous mowers (AM) was a knee-jerk reaction to a larger topic I feel strongly about. I expressed a positive but secondary response to the AM matrix assessment the original forum post was based on. In hindsight, my larger topic response lacked deep analysis of this issue. Regardless, and despite my propensity to shoot from my often less-than-fully-informed hip, I stand by my thoughts on the whole. However, I do think they need some further consideration, clarification, and dare I say a dose of objectivity (not my strong suit). What follows is my attempt to provide a rational assessment of autonomous mowers. It is based on my professional opinion and is not meant to be authoritative. It is also not exhaustive in addressing all of the topics tangential to AM. I welcome disagreement but hope for some agreement. Please read on. Are autonomous mowers in your future? Why They Will Work The first benefit of AM is the elimination of human inconsistencies. These mowers will not miss time, argue, or get bored. They can work though adverse weather conditions without exposure concerns. They can provide consistency and production that can benefit planning and execution. While they will need programming, monitoring, and preventive maintenance, I suggest these requirements will not require more resources than human counterparts and could likely consume less management intervention. They can perform jobs that can be dangerous for staff to perform, reducing workers’ exposure to dangerous conditions and hazardous machinery/accidents. The main application I see is hilly terrain but there are certainly others. AM’s may generate cost savings once initial start up costs are covered. They do not need a salary or benefits nor do they need HR/payroll administration. They can also support overall team production and site quality regarding both their primary tasks, plus allow existing staff to perform jobs not suited to autonomous machinery options. Innovations have made our jobs easier. Will autonomous mowers do the same? Why They Won’t Work The main argument against autonomous mowers is high initial cost. Depending on the quality and performance of the machine, prices can quickly move into tens of thousands of dollars. Maintenance costs should be more predictable, but mishaps can be costly. Mishaps such as programming and control communication errors, mishaps with unforeseen field conditions, or typical mechanical failures will still occur. Quality can be uneven due to variable field conditions. Adaptive components can adjust to some extent but are still being developed/improved. Additional support from vendors and service may be spotty due to the novelty of these products and their usage/support capabilities. Interpersonal communication and relationships with patrons using the course/grounds is diminished which may have negative impacts on patron’s value placed on the grounds team. Perhaps the largest concern is liability issues. In the event of accidents, damage, or even personal injury, what is the liability faced by the equipment owner/operator or manufacturer. Could autonomous mowing take us down an unfavorable solution pathway? My Personal Journey to Judgment As I said before, I frequently react quickly, then think, which sometimes leads to changing my position. If I didn’t moderate my viewpoints based on new experience/information, I’d still be mowing with a belly deck rather than a ZTR. I think my deepest resistance to AM’s comes from the replacement of human staff. In my 37 years in the Green Industry, I have consistently been subject to scrutiny of my position and operational necessity. Can we outsource? Can we drive down composite wages? Can we do more with less? Can we cut budgets? I am not adverse to innovation and improving our operations. I do believe that automation disproportionately hits manual labor jobs. I won’t say unskilled because I don’t see any position on my staff as lacking skills. I also believe this is a slippery slope that will be hard to stop once it gets rolling. My job as manager may be safe right now, but could automation (software) replace my job as easily as a mower? What Now? I often tell my team that working hard is the best solution to our problems. In my opinion a successful operation is its best defense against outside “improvement” ideas based in uninformed scrutiny. I am a craftsman and grounds management professional. I also am human. This aspect must be seen as the greatest benefit to performing my craft rather than an operational flaw that can be replaced through automation. To me, the human versus autonomous mower needs more evaluation. Automation should take place where it aligns strategically with the betterment of the product, and the greater good of the organization. This INCLUDES THE TEAM. I must be clear eyed in consideration of any emerging technology. I shouldn’t dismiss it because I think it is a narrow minded answer. But other possible answers such as improved work environment, training, etc. should be evaluated robustly also. Heck, maybe a better question in some settings is why are we mowing at all? If after thorough assessment, by diverse stakeholders, autonomous mowing actually does serve the greater good, my team, and grounds management professionals like us will be the best people to administer it. A TEAM of humans should never be replaced. But, if it allows the TEAM to do good and proper grounds management, I’m all in.

RW, looks like you are already into AI. I’m truly impressed. Great work as always. Rock Bottum, Rock Chalk. JF

I do not know of many teams or departments in any organization not feeling the pinch of shrinking budgets. This seems especially true for our grounds management operations. My operation receives a budget that allows us to serve our organization adequately, but not completely. We are in a constant state of making do, altering priorities, and putting out fires. I liken it to the game Tetris. Our work drops on us and we try to make it fit as fast as possible thereby continuing the game. But, if our work comes too fast, or cannot be fit properly, game over. No matter our effort or planning, managing a budget too small requires compromises rather than full engagement. If there was a way to provide margin, work could be managed smoothly with more powerful results. This is where supplemental fundraising comes in. Accelerate Improvements Large scale grounds operations are equipment intensive. Professional grounds management requires expensive equipment for efficiency and scale required for our large, complex landscapes. Our mowing equipment is consistently used under harsh conditions. No matter how well maintained, equipment becomes too expensive to operate, or obsolete. For us, we had five large area mowers that were obsolete and needed replacement. In 2022 we purchased one new upgraded mower, and in 2023, 2 more. Our regular budget funded these first phases. But completing this refurbishment required a staggered effort. In 2024 our budget did not fund a new machine. Fortunately, we used outside donations to purchase a high-quality commercial mower, replacing five units with only four. Supplemental funding allowed us to accelerate beneficial improvements we otherwise would not have had. Expediting a fleet refurbishment through donor funding improved efficiency and appearance of our campus mowing equipment. Fully Implement Management Programs Managing our campus trees is an important part of the KU Grounds Crew responsibility. Our regular funding provides for gradual new tree planting and critical tree pruning/removal. However, to fully maximize the health of the campus forest grove requires additional arboriculture management. An area of particular importance on campus is Marvin Grove. Marvin Grove is a forested heritage area providing passive green space and recreation. It is particularly revered as a place of rest and recharge for students. This winter we are undertaking a tree inventory that will help us determine the best arboriculture practices to ensure the continued improvement of this area. The results of this inventory will provide objective data on replacement costs, ecological benefits, and applied learning opportunities for interested student groups. Utilizing additional donor funding enables full implementation of management programs thereby maximizing overall results and diminishing future costs without a gradual approach. Donor funded the inventory in KU Marvin Grove to significantly improve forest management. Provide Unique Opportunities Everyone that comes to KU, not who or how, interacts with the campus landscape directly or indirectly. Our KU Grounds Crew seeks any opportunity to deepen connections and personalize the KU experience. Our regular work helps in this regard, but donor funding allows us to go further in special ways. For 2 years now, KU Grounds Crew has held an event we call KU Kettle Korn. Donors fund this event. We cook Kettle Korn in a central square and give a bag to whoever wants one. Our primary target is students, but staff and visitors are stop by also. As an additional benefit this year we collaborated with KU Student Senate. We believe this extra function pays dividends connecting with our campus. Due its non-traditional nature, KU Kettle Korn isn’t seen as essential spending for our annual budget. Fortunately, donor funding empowers unique opportunities. What other ways could the KU Grounds Crew connect with students if we had the funding? Outside-the-box Grounds Crew efforts like KU Kettle Korn would not be possible without donor funding. Donor Funding Makes the Difference Simply put, donor funding can make the difference for a ground’s operation. It works in significant ways for KU Grounds Crew. While our regular university budget provides the basics, donors provide extra capability that means so much. Any Grounds Manager should investigate supplemental fundraising seriously. We do not take these funds for granted. No matter where funding comes from, KU Grounds seeks to be good stewards of all our valuable resources. We know that the university and our donors demand we use our resources wisely. We do. Like the greater KU community, we want everyone to know how special the University of Kansas is. We want to be able to take our campus landscape from mundane to the magical. Adding donor funds to our regular budget allows us to do so. Fundraising is a ongoing effort and benefits greatly from the support of the parent organization like KU Endowment.

Winter weather is an essential part of most grounds operations, and no matter where in the country you work, dealing with winter weather is challenging. Here at University of Kansas we have just recovered from a bona fide blizzard which dumped 14” on our campus. The storm started Saturday, January 4th and moved out the next day. Since then, we have had consistent temps below freezing except for 2 days at 33F. Admittedly most of our winter weather is not this significant but there are common impacts across any winter storms. I feel comfortable sharing the lessons I’ve learned/am learning in my 36 years as a team member/point person for storm management. Some are meant for professionals, but I think any administration types would benefit from reading them too. Winter Storm Blair was an official blizzard and brought ice and 14” of snow to KU campus and Lawrence, KS. 3 days later we got another 3-4”. Ugh. Each Storm is Unique Storms come in all shapes and sizes, and each presents special challenges. Precipitation type, duration, weather/temps before and after storm, wind, etc. all affect the preparation and active interventions needed to return the landscape site to normal/safe operations. Our current storm came in as freezing rain creating .25” of ice and was forecast to have a duration of 24-36 hours. Our first activation was in response to campus police requesting treatment. Rock salt made roads passable temporarily but continued freezing precip on campus required we have overnight staffing. As the storm deepened snow started in earnest and our ability to keep essential roads and walks passable become more difficult. Blizzard condition winds created drifts and required repeated plowing even after snowfall ceased. Then cold temps settled in hampering efforts even more. This ebb and flow is true of every storm and will test a teams ability to respond with the proper actions and equipment. Reasonable Expectations A major problem of every winter weather operation is dealing with unreasonable expectations. Our community wants everything done immediately or so it seems. When I first started snow ops way back when in Fairfax, VA, I’d get called overnight and not see anyone on the roads. Now, no matter when I get called in, there is the same volume of traffic and employees trying to get to the office. Even when the campus is closed there are sledders, dog walkers, and rubberneckers galore. People are no longer patient with a temporary disruption to their routine. Despite the snow cover, people park in the same place, walk the same route, and use the same entrance while our team has provided safe alternatives for movement. Our work is a prioritized list of locations and interventions providing for increasing safety and convenience as the stormtime passes. We cannot do it all and no one should expect us to. Every storm is different. Sometimes it comes at you too fast and clearing operations cannot keep up. Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan Like any aspect of grounds management, winter weather operations requires a well-crafted plan. Aspects of the plan include monitoring the weather forecast, team composition and responsibilities, equipment and pre-treat prep, initial response/priorities, ongoing stage adjustment into final clean. Without clear plan guidance, response efforts are prone to chaos, weak effort, frustration and ultimately poor results. The plan considers the human and emotional considerations of commitment, satisfaction, potential frustration and most importantly, fatigue. Additional is the likelihood operations may need 24/7 work, and you have significant potential for confusion and plan breakdown. Working the plan creates an understandable chain of communication from Administration/Work Management to the field teams, thus avoiding conflicting orders. In order to be more effective, the plan must be conveyed to key stakeholders, especially the team itself. Setting expectations and performance standards ahead of time is a vitally important factor contributing to successful operations. A well crafted plan allows for the smart, harmonious, and effective application of staff, equipment and tools. Constantly Improve Your Operation Perhaps owing to the feeling snow ops are unending, preparation for and refinement of snow ops planning should also be unending. Today’s equipment for winter weather is really good. Plows are easy to mount, well-made and easy to operate. Controls can be held in the hand rather than statically mounted to the floor like the first plows I used. Spreaders come in various sizes and are durable, easy to fill, and allow for easy operation. Clean up is simple, vital when dealing with the corrosivity of ice melt products. Small engine and handheld tools abound and can be tailor selected by crew member preference, in conjunction to the specific nature of weather/precip conditions. It is essential that each winter weather event trigger an after action discussion to promote plan adaptations if needed, expose response weakness, and prompt training. The actual work of snow ops requires experience and repetition. Cross training and responsibility diversity helps build a bench which prevents performance lapse when it matters most. Updating the plan requires updating equipment. Find out what works for your operation and make sure it is on hand. Thanks for a Thankless Job Winter weather ops are often thankless. Or at least they feel that way to me. The intricacies and difficulties are rarely understood by those whose work doesn’t require active participation. Even those who do participate tangentially do not truly understand our plight. Because snow ops are a primary aspect of our work, our teams are assigned significant responsibility during these events. We do not flinch from this charge. Yet, our teams need fair reckoning when it comes to determining a successful response from something less. No one wants to provide a safer, rapid, and effective winter weather response than our Grounds Crews. Our organizations should expect our best but also provide us with their best. A unified understanding of winter weather ops requires commitment and understanding from all involved. So, on behalf of grounds people everywhere, I say THANK YOU to the teams that wake up in the middle of the night, shovel when there hands are frozen, and slip/slide to get their jobs done. THANK YOU. A team that has a voice in the plan and a voice in the action will do their best to provide a safe campus during any winter weather.

If you follow TurfNet and golf course management in any way, you will surely hear dog stories. Dogs are frequently companions for superintendents, adorn shop wall calendars, and even get “hired” to chase geese. One of our editors even wrote a dog tribute recently that has over 11K views! Let me say right away, I love dogs. Not all of them, mind you, but most. I had dogs growing up and my family has enjoyed our dog Drover for 13 years now. Dogs and their owners are frequent visitors to any landscape or course around. But not all dog interactions are positive. Here on campus, and in several past jobs, I sometimes have a cold disposition to canine visitors. If you are currently thinking how could you not like dogs on campus, let me explain. My dog Drover is the cutest, friendliest dog in the world, but he still walks on a leash and must be asked to be petted. I Love My Dog, I MAY NOT Love Yours People love to walk their dogs in parks. Of course they do, and of course they should. Our grounds and courses are a wonderful place to walk dogs due to open spaces, well maintained landscapes, walkable areas abounding, and frequent small wildlife to interest a dog. I love to see people utilizing the landscape to get some exercise and relaxation with their furry friends. What I don’t care for is the too common assumption by dogwalkers that I (or others) want to interact with their dog. If I want to interact with your dog, I’ll ask politely. Dogs off leash, or poorly restrained on a 20-foot retractable leash, can be bothersome or intimidating. Before you let your dog approach grounds staff consider that my team and I are at work. We are focused on our tasks at hand. If you feel compelled to share your dog with us, do it appropriately and politely. My most nerve-wracking encounter with a dog was a free ranging Irish Setter. This dog appeared right next to me out of nowhere. The owner was not to be seen. I didn’t know if it was running loose or not. While not aggressive, it was eager and quickly approached me, stopping several feet from me. This was unnerving to me because it was clearly sizing me up. Unknown dogs are unpredictable. Most are not aggressive, but some can become so quickly. At this moment the owner appeared. When I said dogs were supposed to be leashed, he responded with the obligatory and utterly useless “it’s friendly”. When I repeated the leashing instruction, he mocked me, to my crew nonetheless, and left. He never did leash his dog. Not a Doggy Island On the military base I grew up on, there were specific sites for dog usage called “Doggy Islands”. Dogs could use these areas and every week or so they would be cleaned by someone. (Actually, it was a sought-after job by base teens. I have no earthly idea why.) The Doggy Islands were marked by signage and most dogwalkers respected that. Today, everywhere in green spaces is considered Doggy Island. Yes, many dogwalkers pick up their messes, but a significant minority don’t. In a park or on campus this can lead to intermittent interaction with a pile (NEVER a pleasant experience). But if your landscape happens to be near an apartment building, forget about it. Repetition is a concern as a dog may mess multiple times a day. Since the mess location is regular the mess adds up quickly. If left unaddressed, the situation does not resolve on its own. Landscape areas can quickly be used as a Doggy Island if rules are not set, and followed. Consequences The consequences of dog mess can be varied. First is the general disgust and displeasure that it can cause. If the concentration is high enough, it smells. Especially in summer when heat and dust can increase mower operator discomfort, adding the malodorous scent of feces is nearly intolerable. Another consequence is stepping into an unforeseen pile or driving over it with mowers. Dog mess has a shocking physical property allowing it to cover tires and embed itself deeply into turf tread. It is not uncommon to get into the truck and be assaulted with foul smell of fecal matter or need to hose out a tire that is crevice filled with feces. Both are truly miserable experiences. Even providing a system to dispense bags and a disposal receptacle doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. Dumping a 20# bag of dog mess can be challenging, and once again the smell is nauseating. Only changing the bag daily moderates offers any moderation and that is only if you change the bags daily. No matter how dog doo is addressed it will be a filthy task. What Is The Answer? The best answer to dog mess is a simple one: owners must police their own dogs. It is beyond any reasonable expectation for grounds staff in a landscape operation to have to deal with free ranging and free messing dogs. Creating a landscape that patrons can enjoy is our responsibility but using it appropriately and respectfully is the patron’s responsibility. Keeping your dog under control is an essential role for patrons. Leashing regulations and “curb your dog” ordinances must be in place and enforced. Rules and reasonable guidance for dog walking compliance should be posted at various locations and on a widely available website. Without patrons knowing the rules, we have no mode of enforcement. Despite our caretaker role on campus, we lack actual authority and may lack perceived authority. Grounds crews do our utmost to create a welcoming place for people and pets alike. Please help us by managing your pets as well. Leashing dogs is the answer. But letting them walk themselves isn’t. PLEASE keep your dog under control. Joe Fearn is the Landscape Manager at the University of Kansas.

Utility locates are a common and essential part of any groundskeepers’ work. Contacting the locate entity for whatever state you are in is standard before any digging on site. While I understand and wholeheartedly support the rationale for utility location, the actual results have a significant impact on my operation. This impact is rarely acknowledged by the locate entity or my own stakeholders. For every locate request the usual result is a yard full of flags. The purpose of the flags is fine and necessary, even admirable, but the result makes performing my job difficult, and sometimes impossible. The flags are impossible to mow around, become a projectile if struck, and are never pulled after the location work is complete. Utility locate flags are a necessary part of grounds management, but can be a headache for the Groundskeeper. Why and How Before anyone digs the contractor performing the work must call the state Dig Rite office. Here at University of Kansas our locates fall under Kansas 811. Whatever entity covers your state gathers some basic information about what work is being done, where and when. The utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas, etc.) present are contacted to provide their location. Utility reps or locate services will visit the site. Lines are marked with paint, flags, or most often, both. Excavating and digging can now begin. Once located, flags or marks cannot be disturbed for 20 days. After 20 days, and unless an extension is requested, the flags are supposed to be removed by the contractor who initiated the locate request. Unfortunately, very few contractors are aware of this protocol, and even fewer police their own flags. Several of the foundational aspects of a locate request are legally binding. You must call before you dig. So far as flag removal protocol, there are guidelines (the contractor is responsible for flag removal there is no statutory mandate. Utility flags must be placed before any excavation, digging, or ground penetration takes place. Operational Consequences It has already been stated that mowing around flags is effectively impossible. Several people have suggested moving/replacing flags. Since timely and thorough mowing cannot take place, shoddy site appearance results. In addition, corrective mowing can take place the grass experiences undue stress due to excessive leaf growth removal. Manpower allotments are negatively impacted due to the intensive labor required to remove flags opportunity costs lost to removal. Our team also has experienced stakeholder concerns and blame around utility flags. People do not understand the locate process and blame the grounds crew for any impacts. Having the opportunity to educate the campus about flag/locate misperceptions rarely actually takes place and can be ineffectual even when it does occur. The “professionals” involved in the process don’t participate in any solutions, how much more so the average stakeholder walking campus? Despite removal being the contractors responsibility, locate flags left too long impact the ability to mow effectively and rapidly become unsightly. Who Pulls the Flags Flag removal is the responsibility of the contractor that initiated the locate response. Full stop. It is not the responsibility of any ground crew. Unfortunately, this aspect of the process is commonly ignored or misunderstood. Here at the University of Kansas, locates are processed through our Facilities Planning Department. There is an FPD staff member who is responsible for coordinating the process. Since any locate request must be entered by the contractor actually doing the work, it can even leave this KU staff member in the dark. Locates expire and flags are left in the field. We spend several weeks hoping someone will fulfill their responsibility but to no avail. Inevitably the call comes down to “just pull the flags”. Our grounds crews are the last line of defense for so many situations in our landscapes that no one thinks this is burdensome. Pulling flags adds to our workload. Usually, we end up pulling the flags because this situation should not be borne by the KU community. Utility locates are impossible to work around. Flag management should be a partnership but is usually left up to the grounds crew What Now While writing this blog a locate was performed in part of our campus. The number of flags placed was astounding. It is a public easement project overlapping with KU property. We were not notified, nor was the impact on our work considered. We are even the property owner. I want to be a good neighbor and cooperate with our contractors. But the inconsiderate and dismissive treatment makes it very difficult. Where we can be gracious, we will do so gladly. We will take the high road to a point. We will even pull flags when it advances our work. For several months I have been taking steps to partner with the process. I and my team will continue to advocate for our perspective. There may be a solution on the horizon, just maybe, but right now these flags still give me a headache.

“I don’t get no respect.” Many people are familiar with this adage from comedian Rodney Dangerfield. This sentiment was the lead to his routine lamenting the difficulties he faced when no one gave him his due. Our grounds crews are often in the same boat. While people seemingly appreciate our work, we are consistently forced to subordinate our objectives and viewpoints for others. I recently had a dispute with another employee where our work overlapped and was in conflict. I tried to explain my perspective on the conflict cause but could not break through. In my belief, my work was seen as subordinate to his and therefore my viewpoint was inconsequential. This is a regular occurrence and I imagine all you readers know how I feel. We too often simply seem to matter less. We Are Experts Grounds crews are the landscaping and grounds management experts on campus. We have theoretical training, apply best management practices, and results-based experience in our field. No other entity on campus involved in grounds management can claim the same. There are stakeholders that have associated expertise in a particular facet of our work, but none that combine capabilities like grounds does. Our prime mission is unique to our department. Since we are unique it stands to reason that we are the paramount voice that can fully reflect our situation. We should hold a significant, if not predominant voice when discussing grounds management issues. Yet we are rarely invited to the table and even more rarely given meaningful voice. We work at the convenience of others that do not understand the landscape. Every aspect of our work requires a blending of education, training, and experience that only the grounds crew possesses. Grounds Is Important No other entity in our organizations touches our communities/stakeholders the way the landscape does. Every person, in every capacity, that works/studies/visits the campus interacts with the campus landscape to some extent. Other units might be similar in scope, but I suggest none of them ignites a response the way grounds do. People interacting with the campus grounds are emotionally connected or activated by the landscape. There is a visceral relationship in addition to a functional one. The landscape connects not only with all a person’s senses, but also with their hearts and minds. From the first glimpse of campus to integration into study and work, to those that actually live on campus, the landscape serves a hugely significant role. Grounds crew performs a public-facing role that no other entity replicates, but also reaches inward to support the organization. They Don’t Understand Our Work Grounds work done right is a complex blend of technical understanding, foundational horticultural truths, and challenging physical exertion. Couple with this weather extremes, limited resources, and limited organizational prioritization, grounds management becomes even more challenging. In my opinion all these lead to, or stem from, a lack of true understanding of professional grounds management. Other trades seem to be respected, or at least viewed as uniquely capable of managing their field. The results are unquestioned, seen as objective and authoritative. Grounds is seen as lacking comparable scientific and evidence-based rigor. Anyone can cut grass or grow flowers. However, HVAC, plumbing, even facilities planning must be left to the experts. Grounds management is every bit as professional a field, performed by experts in the craft, deserving of input and resources in accordance with any other entity in the organization. The work we perform is primary to us, not auxiliary. While others may temporarily overlap with grounds work, they do not, cannot, perform the same role. Give ‘Em What They Deserve Our work is outward facing. It is apparent to everyone that comes to campus. But the challenges are not seen or understood. This is the great paradox for grounds. Most people will see a campus that looks well-tended. This appearance is achieved through professional know-how, innovation, team spirit and a deep drive to serve the campus we love. My work matters a great deal to me. I do not treat it trivially and no one else should either. The fact some do not see it as important as theirs does not diminish its importance. So back to the original conflict. I completely understand that relocating a utility is necessary and should not be derailed by a flower bed. But the lack of consideration for impacting our work reflected in this situation is counterproductive to both our missions. Inevitably the consequences are born almost entirely by my side. So, next time, give the grounds crew a little respect. We will all benefit. All grounds teams perform a singular job unmatched by any other entity in our organizations. Thanks to all grounds crews everywhere for your professionalism, productivity & passion!

Telling your work story is an important part of a successful operation. Bringing attention to the ways your team performs its work or the benefit you bring to your organization is just smart business. Far too often we are so busy working that we forget to share our accomplishments. And the people that depend on us are too busy to notice. Putting your head down is sometimes necessary but opening your mouth is sometimes important too. Being vocal on behalf of your team can be powerful, but when someone else does it for you is powerful too. We here at KU Grounds recently had an opportunity to talk with KU News to talk about our work on campus. In lieu of a regular blog entry, we want to share this story with you. Hope you find it interesting and informative. I hope it also helps you to find a way to share your good work too. https://news.ku.edu/news/article/ku-grounds-crew-taking-a-new-more-strategic-and-sustainable-approach-to-landscaping

Organic matter (OM) is everywhere in the landscape. Given that OM is a key component of nutrient cycling and soil structure, it only makes sense we treat it as a valuable commodity. In any landscape OM is generated when we intervene mechanically (think mowing, pruning), when we clean the landscape (think leaf removal). OM is also utilized/handled (think mulching or soil amendment). Every time we “manage” OM we incur a cost whether financially or in ecological disruption. Added to this cost is the material bulk often associated with OM. Operations need significant physical space/machinery to handle the OM streams (both leaving campus and returning) which adds to the costs of managing/handling. Keep organic matter where it Is The simplest answer to OM management is to leave it where it is. For grass clippings this is relatively straight forward and widely practiced. Mowers discharge clippings where they are cut and can even be mulched with minor deck/blade adjustments. Unless you are in a situation that requires clippings be removed (putting green) recycling clippings is highly beneficial to turf grass. Fall leaf drop requires a little more consideration but even leaves can be readily mulched into a healthy turf/soil environment with no adverse effects. Of course, clumping/smothering could be an issue if mowing is not performed frequently enough, but proper management usually prevents this occurrence. Leaves in ornamental beds can be left if the customer expectations are tempered. Leaf litter provides the same functional benefits as mulch without the installation time/costs. Keeping clippings and spent growth where it is makes sense for plant and soil health. Don’t remove unless it causes more problems. Treat it as an asset A fundamental reason that OM is hard to manage is the value we place on it. If our operations (our parent organizations) understood the essential role it plays in landscape health, it would be managed better. For most organizations OM is primarily considered aesthetically. Mulch is only used to beautify the landscape rather than promote the health of the landscape. I could delve deeply into mulch, but it suffices to say that the aesthetic purpose of mulch (color, contrast, texture, application frequency) does not match the functional purpose (soil texture, nutrient cycling, weed suppression, moisture conservation, temperature moderation). Removing the existing OM that is present during leaf drop simply to replace it with double shredded hardwood? Removing excessive mulch that won’t break down in comparison to leaf litter/compost that incorporates into soil in one summer? These steps are redundant and costly in both time and manpower. Not to mention landscape health. Status quo Our Grounds Crew’s current OM management approach is a large open holding area where limbs, prunings, leaves, etc. are dumped in large piles. Every once in a while, (1-3 years) we have a contractor bring in heavy equipment to double grind this refuse. This is a significant cost and is directly borne by the main operational budget. The grindings range in appearance from limb chips to something approaching a commercially available double shredded hardwood mulch. It is largely litter free. It is readily available for use on campus but most usually sits in a pile, slowly decomposing. We do not turn it to hasten decomposition and create compost. As things stand, we have a huge pile of brush that is waiting to be chipped. We do not have any room left to add and the financial resources needed to grind the debris are diverted for much more pressing items on campus. Managing a large volume of organic waste takes a lot of space and significant financial investment. Build a better OM management stream Fortunately, I believe we have found a better solution to our OM situation. We now process our debris through the City of Lawrence (COL) public compost operation. The COL compost facility is a full service OM refuse processing operation facility. It is located a mere 3 miles from the main campus, so is not overly burdensome in terms of travel time. This facility can handle all our waste including logs, limbs, prunings, leaves and grass clipping. The University pays an annual fee for access based on number and of vehicles and gross vehicle weight. It is a one-time cost giving us unlimited access for the year. The current fee is about 7% the cost of grinding our bulk storage pile. I suggest that utilizing the COL Compost Facility creates a multiplier effect for KU grounds operations and sustainability efforts. First, we are saving money. The most sustainable dollar is the one not spent. In addition, the money paid for access helps subsidize the municipal efforts. If this city program flounders financially, it won’t be good for anyone. Our participation also transfers a potentially huge investment in machinery to another entity, thus sharing the cost. Lastly in terms of public relations, we demonstrate that KU is part of the larger Lawrence community and reflects our responsibility/leadership regarding sustainability. We regularly purchase the finished compost and much which are both superior to our in house products which is a significant value for us and another revenue stream defraying operational costs to City of Lawrence. Municipal compost operations can handle most waste generated on campus. Usually no special handling necessary. Just dump and go. OM Is the base of the operation Like so many of our grounds department operations, organic matter management has taken on a life of its own, divorced from its fundamental role. The natural system doesn’t waste anything, nor does it add anything. Everything is used/maximized right where it should be. Humans have disrupted this cycle at great cost to the ecosystem and our operations. But importantly, it isn’t too late to course correct. With a subtle shift in expectations, where it makes sense, organic matter can be accommodated, allowing it to fulfill its essential role to the benefit of our plants, soil, and ecosystems. Utilizing the finished mulch and compost from a municipal operation is a great value and closes the sustainability/organic matter loop.

Planning is the linchpin to success. You may be successful with planning, but the odds are longer. In grounds management having a good plan will help the manager communicate direction to the team, help build excitement toward an outcome, alleviate problems before they arise, and build the organizational support essential to fulfilling the plan. Last blog I looked backwards in order to understand where our operation is and how we got here. This blog I look forward to 2024 and share some of the bigger visioning we have for KU Grounds and our campus. Address Comprehensive Sustainability The entire grounds operation must be viewed through the lens of sustainability. Two areas that need to be viewed sustainably are how we maintain/improve our workforce, and how we finance our operation. To accomplish these objectives our operation will evaluate how we align with all aspects of our organizational expectations. Ultimately, if we don’t achieve our mission, why would the organization sustain us? It is vital that sustainability mean more than just green initiatives and resource conservation. The more conventional concept of sustainability is managing our landscape to decrease resource consumption while improving outputs. In the budget critical atmospheres most of us are in, being environmentally focused doesn’t sufficiently justify our operation. Taking an expansive view of our operations deals with any/all our sustainability needs. Every aspect of our work interrelates to maintaining our team and the landscape. This provides the greatest opportunity for pushing a sustainable future for KU Grounds. Sustainability must permeate the entire operation. It isn’t only about native plants and pollinators. “Grow” our Team Our staff members are the most important component of our operational success. How we train, manage day-to-day operations, and compensate, all play a role in the stability of our team. Our team works here for a variety of reasons, and it is essential that we respond to these motivations appropriately. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Maintaining our workforce starts with keeping our employees. Salary, benefits, and workplace atmosphere all play a part in retention. All hiring employees know the difficulties in finding and keeping staff. Retention must be more than business as usual. Individualism, variety, humor, compassion, novelty all will create an atmosphere where employees’ minds and personalities are engaged. But if an employee just wants to “do their 8” that is fine as long as standards are maintained. Employee hiring, onboarding, and retention must be focal effort. The Grounds Staff is essential to success. Hiring, training, motivating and retaining our teams must be the highest priority. Align With Campus Master Plan The biggest factor that will influence our 2024 is the University of Kansas Master Plan. When completed this document, occurring every 10 years, will be the result of a legal mandate from the Kansas Board of Regents. This plan will be aspirational in nature, dependent on resource availability, and largely strategic in its guidance. The actual hands-on implementation (tactics) will be left to various operational unit administrations and staff (KU Grounds Crew). While some master plans can feel heavy handed, this one (and associated process) has not been. The Master plan is crafted with organizational/community input, the full support of KU Administration, and also State of Kansas legislative awareness. The extensive process formulating the plan was robust and far reaching. This plan is rational and based on sound master planning doctrine. Working under the auspices of a clear strategic vision is essential to KU campus landscape Grounds Crew success. The goals of KU Grounds must align with the KU Master Plan. Strategic plan guidance provides direction to operational tactics. Craft Our Internal Plan Grounds management is long term in impact so must consider an extended arc of time in vision. But vision without a plan is just a hope. After 2 years of steadfast hard work, our team has accomplished a huge turnaround for the KU campus landscape. During these 2 years much of our work (most?) was driven by addressing crises and simply keeping our heads above water. It was necessary, but our work must be more controlled and deliberate to provide the most benefit. We are interviewing our key stakeholders including Operations Administration, Facilities, Custodial, Housing, Admissions, etc. We are getting meaningful feedback at a level high enough to express strategy, but not so high they fail to understand street level tactics. We will overlay these viewpoints against the Master Plan to determine our vision. Lastly we will integrate these pans with our tactical capacity to craft the regular operational plan needed to fulfill our responsibilities to the campus landscape. Plant the Campus Achieving a sustainable operation needs a sustainable plan to guide it. While crafting the plan is critical, the operational piece is of course essential also. Planting the campus is that fundamental that we need to constantly pursue and accomplish. First, we will focus on our trees. The campus forest is the long-term bones of the landscape. Planting the right tree in the right place provides the foundation to all other landscape components. Next, continue installing the fundamental design concept. Kansas is a prairie state, and the landscape should clearly emulate that appearance. Using native grasses and forbs will convey the proud identity of our state. The well-conceived and installed landscape will enhance our overall sustainability and substantially beautify campus. In my experience operations is often easier then planning. As touched on earlier, the scale of the operation here at KU results in frequent priorities that can disrupt our plan. Our plan must have flexibility built in but also must create a baseline for guiding planting that can be easily returned to. Beautification and maintenance of campus is the main way we demonstrate success. Installing well planned gardens increases support for our teams. Planning Keeps Us On Track The landscape at a university (or anywhere) touches their own community in a way nothing else can. This is the critical strategic aspect for our teams. KU Grounds leans into this responsibility in myriad ways. The day to day challenges and priorities we face can easily derail our big picture goals. Once derailed, we may face a tough road getting back on track. Our strategic goals are meant to provide a clear framework for all our work. It provides guidance for the team and, importantly, our administration. The strategic vision channels our work toward a successful outcome. Detours will occur. But, understanding what our annual objectives are will get us back on the right road.

Ah, the New Year. The annually recurring time when we reflect on our previous 365 days and take stock. It is a time for looking back and grading out what we accomplished, but also what we struggled with. I get caught up in this time as much as anyone. In this blog I’ll stay in my professional realm and give, at least from my perspective, a clear-eyed assessment of where I took my work, and where my work took me. This assessment may not meet with agreement by all in my organization. It is my viewpoint alone. It is my truthful professional assessment. I base it on the lived reality of mine and my teams’ work experiences and results during 2023. Besides sharing this with TurfNet, I will communicate it to my team and administration. I hope it promotes discussion for continued improvement. What Went Right Broad Campus Improvement The University of Kansas campus landscape looks better at the end of 2023 than at the start. There are less weeds, less overgrown shrubs, less dead trees, and less glaring landscape problems. There are more new ornamental beds, thousands of new plants, an emerging cohesive design concept and far fewer daily landscape issues. Based on consistent complimentary feedback and decreasing service requests, the state of the KU campus landscape is good, and improving every day. KU Grounds received many positive comments all over campus, but especially around our showpieces. Specific Landscape Improvements KU Grounds is a service-oriented unit. Toward this end we played a primary role in large-scale landscape improvements on campus. Several came to us from other entities on campus. Several were conceived, planned, and implemented by us alone. These projects all reflected our updated design concepts and promoted a new consideration of what constitutes a sustainable landscape. Our capability for successfully completing efforts such as these is critical to our success and overall KU success. Installation of Improved Plant Palette Our planting regime is moving the campus landscape in a direction that provides multiple improved attributes over past plant selections. We are focusing on native Kansas plants and nativars, being heavily influenced by the amazing (and highly functional) Kansas prairies. The plants we install evoke the heart of Kansas, provide beauty and support pollinators, diminish resource use, all of which provide significant benefit to the campus. Utilizing native Kansas and adaptive plants allowed for durable plantings with low resource investment. Cooperative Efforts on Campus Educating our students is the prime directive for the University of Kansas and thereby also KU Grounds. We consistently have positive interactions with students. Particularly two illustrate what can be achieved in student/grounds interactions. First is our work with some environmental student groups resulting in a habitat demonstration area on campus. Next is partnering with Student Senate on several projects utilizing the landscape to improve student residential experience. These cooperative efforts give purpose and energy to our ground’s operations on campus. What Went Wrong Lack of Communication While our intra-squad communication is strong, that cannot be said for all our communications with the greater campus. During the year there were two large-scale projects that, in my humble opinion, could have benefited from robust communication with KU Grounds. These are the KU Master Plan and the KU Football Stadium Gateway Project. Both projects will significantly impact on our operations but received little input from our team. Lack of Resources Our overarching landscape management approach is resource lean but still requires investment. Equipment, contractors, materials, plants, and most of all our staff labor all need more financial allocation than available. We are fully cognizant that we are not alone in assessing our situation thusly. We manage as best we can, even admirably, but additional resources could propel even more work being accomplished. Struggles With Sustainability KU Grounds seeks to be a sustainable landscape. This aspiration influences and is influenced by all aspects of our landscape management operation. We are making strides in several areas including localizing procurement, purchasing only what is necessary, purchasing the most durable tools and equipment, and managing our organic matter/refuse streams. These and other efforts are moving us in the right direction toward being environmentally/ecologically responsible. Further long term significant strides in sustainability will only come by continually evaluating our entire operation and seeking to diminish the fundamental resource consumption that underlies it. Too Much to Do The University of Kansas campus landscape is large and complex. Our work in this nearly 1000-acre tract comprises everything from sky to sub-soil. The arc of responsibility required to complete any one job is a complex interaction of planning, procurement, implementation, troubleshooting, etc. Combining the scope of the job with the team building/team-maintaining headwinds means we are always stretched completing the work we are expected to and earnestly want to. Inevitably something slips through the cracks. The landscape is a harsh taskmaster. Underperformance of even small parts compromises the whole. Our deepest frustration is the current inability, with blame to go around, to accomplish all we and the university want to. The scale and complexity of campus means some projects must wait or proceed slowly despite best intentions. A Good Year Grounds managers and our staff are by and large a realistic bunch. As a result we may not be cheerleaders, nor always express a positive outlook. I frustrate myself through a combination of pessimism and optimism. We have a hodge-podge team of people, reflecting a wide array of personalities and life stations/experience, working incredibly well together. This is where the magic happens. Our team is unified in pushing for a landscape that reflects our highest aspirations. One of our Supervisors, Liam, put it best “In 2023 the KU campus ended in a better place than it started”. It wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but we did grind, toil, and improve our campus. I can’t think of any better way to assess our year. 2023 was a good year for KU Grounds! Anyway… Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a prosperous New Year to all the TurfNet Family. Rock Chalk Jayhawk! ~JF

So glad I happened to be on when this blog came through. Randy ALWAYS delivers! Just like artificial turf has squeezed out much of the joy from sports field management, robot mowers will squeeze the joy AND craftsmanship out of mowing. When will I use a robot mower? Does "cold dead hands" mean anything? Keep the faith Randy. Rock Chalk, JF

As of writing today Kansas City is 6.49” below our average YTD rainfall of 27.42”. Additionally, over the last 6 weeks our average temperature has been 3F over average. In the last 28 days we have had 12 days over 80, 7 days over 90, and 9 days over 100. One of those days the high was 112F. Most people don’t dig into climate numbers to this extent, and it is important to know this isn’t just my opinion. But rainfall this summer is not the focus of this writing. Rather I want to share my sense of the weather I work in and how it influences my grounds management. My landscape weather is consistently hotter and drier than it used to be. Despite being a cautious Groundskeeper something radical is happening. I believe I must drastically change the way I manage my campus if I am going to help it survive. Ever more frequent hot/droughty periods take a toll on plants like these hydrangea. Managing to ensure survival takes a toll on Grounds Dept. resources. Plantings Must Durable and Resilient Our most recent planting installation was a clear success. It marries two key buildings in the heart of campus and sets a design precedent for highlighting the many staircases we have on our campus. Because workflow on our campus can be chaotic, we planted during a stretch of hot weather. This timing required us to water 2 hours per day for the first week including weekend hours. Keeping up with watering is a challenge. Our current plant selection adds to our difficulties. The market (designers, nurseries, community) leans to plants poorly suited to our routinely harsh (and getting harsher) environments. Like most campuses we are leaning toward adaptive plants and appropriate water conservation practices. But this won’t be enough. We must strongly pursue an approach focused on true native plants and proven adapted plants capable of dealing with extended droughty periods. Our designs must embrace these concepts and be supported by leadership. Note: USDA hardiness zones are currently based on tolerance to cold temps. I searched for a heat tolerance corollary and found American Horticultural Society Heat Zone Map. Are there others? This planting is successful in our current paradigm, but may not be successful in a new climate. Natural Systems Must Be Complementary Plants specifically, and ecosystems generally have always existed. While they have certainly changed drastically over time (evolved, adapted), they always maximize survival and balance. Our modern landscape does not seek this balance. My operation uses too many resources to perpetuate an unsustainable landscape or freeze the landscape in an untenable state. Landscapes change. But they inevitably move towards the climactic state based on the large influences of their particular location. (see Sustainability Tectonics) These sunflowers are the Kansas State flower. They require next to no management but thrive in our prairie areas. Educating The Customer The most effective effort a Groundskeeper can perform in pursuit of a sustainable landscape is to educate clientele why it makes sense. Too much of what we do in our landscapes is responsive to a population that is less than fully justified in the results they propose. The counterpart to this lack of capability is even when their objective is sound too often the means to the end is not. Groundskeepers are the point of the organization best prepared to lead the sustainable landscaping efforts. The Grounds Crew is the meeting point between organizational direction and implementation of horticultural reality. The measuring stick is resource allotment and consumption. Plainly speaking there is an inescapable relationship between the traditional landscape and resource consumption. The more intervention a landscape needs based on expectations, the more (scarce) resources it will consume. In some landscapes the function of the landscape is direct and broadly supported by the organization (golf, sports fields, botanic gardens, etc.). On campuses the result is less objective and more variable. Conveying the rationales and methods for pursuing organizational goals is essential to fostering support for a truly sustainable landscape. Collaboration and discussion with stakeholders on campus fosters support for the new paradigm. Especially when the stakeholders adopt the new paradigm at their building! No Time to Wait There is no time to wait. I don’t say this to be alarmist or to push a radical eco-centric agenda. I say it because it is a simple truth. For 35 years in this industry, I have watched and participated while we nibble around the edges of sustainable landscaping. Yet we have not addressed the fundamental aspects of what sustainability is. Money and technology are not the answer. The answer to a sustainable landscape is simplicity synchronized with nature’s ecologic complexity (you don’t need to seek it. It just is). The basic guidance of “Right plant, right place” provides a template for the many simple rules that will guide us. Following timeless natural processes will unleash a landscape that emerges from the ecosystem rather than one hammered into the ecosystem. Sustainability is balancing what is taken with what is returned. It is cooperation rather than dominion. Our current paradigm is failing. It is time to pursue a new paradigm. This new paradigm planting is composed entirely of nativars (cultivars of native plants). It endured the same conditions as the hydrangea above but didn’t flinch. True natives (especially from field sourced seed) perform even better while improving ecosystem service.