I love comedy, especially old fashioned slapstick like Charlie Chaplin, the Three Stooges, and Laurel and Hardy. Fun and silly, light hearted and easy to watch. Watching a character step on a rake that hits him in the head only to back up into another rake that also beans him. Then there’s the guy with the super long pipe swinging it near another guy on a step ladder and you just know what is going to happen next. The timing and choreography it takes to pull off these stunts is a thing of beauty.

But in all seriousness, safety is no laughing matter. It can be hard to plan and implement. It’s usually the first thing to go when you’re in a hurry, and the last thing you want to explain to the boss and doctor when you wind up injured. Nothing ruins a nice summer weekend like a broken anything! I am not here to preach of the importance of safety, everyone knows it. But I would like to share some things that I have learned from other contractors and owners that can help you in your work day.

Knives, we all have them. Mine is as dull as a brick, while the nursery guys across the street could perform surgery with theirs. How many times have we been in a hurry, distracted or lulled by repetitive motion until whoops! Instead, use a multipurpose snip (Fiskars makes a nice one). They can cut almost anything, very hard to slice a leg or arm with, and easier to use for long periods of time. Fatigue can definitely cut you down.

Garbage, it's unsightly and a nuisance. It’s also a byproduct of the process. I have a contractor that has about a dozen 5 gallon buckets throughout the jobsite. He likes bright orange ones that are highly visible. Great for empty water bottles, pulled weeds and other miscellaneous construction materials, and easy to load out at the end of the day.

Speaking of tools, there is a company that paints all of their tools bright orange! No mistaking whose shovel that is or where that shovel is. Hammers, rakes, knee pads, I mean everything! How much time would be saved if you never have to search for, wait where was I going with this?

Ah - the right tool for the right job. Can’t find my hammer, but I can pound this 10” long spike with my shovel. That always works out great. After they’re done for the day, the foreman of one particular company checks the trucks to ensure all the necessary equipment is there. This ensures accountability of the company’s property and readiness for tomorrow’s endeavor.

Good communication is huge when it comes to safety. Make sure that everyone knows what is going on. Take the time to talk to not just your employees, but to your customer and your customer’s neighbors. I know a guy who talks to anybody within hearing range, especially if they have children. People are curious, and they are not always very smart about feeding that curiosity, especially kids and animals. Another company sends out a flier, and has had great success with new leads from this.

Like the Granger commercials say, “It’s always safety season”. Let’s leave the slapstick to the pros.

Christensen’s Plant Center is very excited to welcome "Brutus" to our hard-working family. But first, let me tell you about some of our other family members.

Each one of these family members was selected to make getting your landscape material to you efficiently and professionally. There are: Betsey, Agnes, Orange Crush, Big Blue, The Twins, Red Brick, Gray Flat, Lola Ryder, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 - among others. Obviously some of us here like nicknames and in this case we have given nicknames to most of our delivery equipment.

We have three box trailers that each have drop decks and large side doors to make unloading much easier. We have five flatbed trailers designed to haul large loads of trees, shrubs and other nursery stock. We have two more flats that are designed to haul brick, wall block and other hardscape materials while toting one of our two Moffett forklift machines that we use to unload hardscape product for you on your job site.

We currently have five semi-trucks ranging from Ol’ Betsey, the matriarch of our fleet, to the Twin Freightliners, to Agnes - our first heavy hauler - and finally, our newest member, Brutus.

Brutus is a real life Michigan Special. He's a 13 speed, 18K front axle with 44K rears. 575HP with turbos that whistle when idling. Brutus is set to haul the biggest of brick loads without breaking a sweat. He’s a prefect addition to our BIG truck family.

So no matter what landscape material you need or where you need it, we have a family member to get it to you.

As a welcome to the family celebration, if you tell your salesperson that “Brutus is a Brute” we will waive the delivery charge on your next delivery. This offer is limited to one per customer and only good until 11-29-2019.

Coming soon to our family... “Axle"... Stay tuned.

My youngest daughter loves to do arts and crafts. Her favorite part of the project has always been to add “bling” to whatever it may be. Her material of choice varies between glitter, jewels, bows and stickers. It’s just not complete until it sparkles and shines like something out of a Glamour magazine. She enhances just about everything, including my dog! She likes to add her personal touch, make it look better than what it was, and I say why not?

As hardscape and landscape designers, do you have a certain type of  “bling” that is specific to your projects?

I can't talk to you about all the different things you can do with plants, shrubs and ornamentals as I have very little experience in that department, although we do have over a dozen highly knowledgeable sales staff that do. What I can talk to you about is brick. With so many different sizes, colors, shapes and textures it’s not hard to find a way to enhance any size or type of project. However, there is so much more to work with than just the concrete product itself, so let me enlighten you.

Yes, that was a well-placed pun, but seriously, lights can make a HUGE difference in any hardscape or landscape project. You can bling out a wall, walkway or outdoor living space very easily with LED step lights and up lights. We have pillar cap lights and wall sconce lights, color changing bulbs and wireless control features. You could add more illumination with a natural gas or propane fire pit or fire bowl. We stock many types of Firegear products that will add some more sizzle so your pazizzle doesn’t fizzle. Speaking of fire, how about a pizza oven with a fireplace, already scratch-coated and ready to install into the brick or stone of your choice? Maybe that’s a bit too hot, so cool it down with a fountain or small waterfall kit. They are easy to maintain and easy to install, which makes them an easy sell.

With so many types of enhancements available, finding the right one should not be hard. Many of these upgrades can be added to existing projects and what better way to reach out to your previous customers then to show them new shiny “bling”. Show them that they can sit outside by a fire, change their lights to match their college team’s colors and wait for a pizza to finish cooking all while listening to the big game.

Technologies change rapidly, and landscape lighting isn’t any different. LED lamps have become brighter and are less expensive. Now the engineering geniuses have tapped into the color change technology. With the right lamps, clients can choose from a wide spectrum of color effects or simply adjust the temperature of white for just the right look.

We started here at Christensen’s with Halco’s color changing MR16 lamp that uses a remote control. Last year, Alliance Outdoor Lighting introduced their BL200-BT bullet fixture, which integrated a color changing MR16 that is controlled via Bluetooth with a smartphone app. Each fixture has an antenna, which makes all the linked fixtures synchronize for easy programming and coordination.

Our partnerships with Alliance Outdoor Lighting and Brilliance LED LLC are bringing even more options to the color-change palette, through both fixtures and LED lamps.

Alliance has two new fixtures to accompany their award winning BL200-BT, which also use the smartphone app for easy synchronization between all fixtures. The first is the BL300-BT, which is a PAR36 spot fixture. For areas that need that extra punch of lumen output and/or a touch extra spread, this is the one you want. It boasts up to 410 lumen output while only pulling 8 watts, which comparable to most, if not all, 8 watt MR16 LED lamps on the market today.

Alliance’s second new fixture is the PL100-BT, which is one of the first of its kind in regards to path illumination. The PL100 has the advantage of an adjustable head, both horizontally and vertically, to truly pinpoint a specific area for the desired lighting effect.

This year, Brilliance LED LLC has launched the Chameleon Series lamps. There are a MR16 LED lamp and a PAR36 lamp, and both are phone app driven via Bluetooth. This is an exceptional option for both new installations of lighting product lines that do not have color change technology, or for retrofitting an existing system. The 6 watt MR16 boasts a powerful output of up to 441 lumens, while the 9 watt PAR36 lamp produces an even more impressive output of up to 686 lumens.

Even more fixtures and lamps are expected to be released later in 2019, such as an underwater and flood fixture, but specifics and date have yet to be announced. Stay tuned! Your customers will love the flexibility and creativity of color-change LED technology.

Most companies take an inventory of the equipment they may need to replace or purchase at the beginning of the year. It can be frustrating to have to spend money when none is coming in yet. Furthermore, you want something that is going to last. Yes, you can go to a big box store and buy inexpensive tools and equipment, but will they last? I firmly believe that you get what you pay for. There are times when I buy cheap knowing knowing a short life span will suit my needs. But when I need something tough and reliable, especially if my jobs revolve around that piece of equipment, I am willing to invest.

Here at Christensen’s, we know how important your tools are to you and your welfare, which is why we only carry professional grade quality products. Names like Felco, Truper, and AM Leonard. These products have been on the market for a very long time. This year we are pleased to introduce another great brand into our stores.

Halder is a German company that has been around for over 80 years. Their specialty is producing high quality striking and forestry tools. We will be stocking some of their Simplex mallets. What makes these mallets unique is that every part is replaceable! This tool has a cast steel housing with an integrated handle sleeve that offers a high resistance to handle breakage. The faces are interchangeable, offering you options with different degrees of hardness allowing you to quickly adapt for different materials. We offer five different faces, including the two that come with the handle. You'll also be able to replace the housing or handle if you manage to break it, which seems unlikely with this level of quality. But I welcome you to try!

This spring, stop in at Christensen’s Plant & Hardscape Centers and let us equip you with the tools and products you need to be successful. Your job is tough, your tools should be, too. Let us show you our professional grade tools that are made to last.

It’s not just for December any more.

As we approach year's end, homes are being decorated and lit up for the Holiday season. However, seasonal outdoor lighting is catching on for other holidays too, like Halloween and Independence Day. Probably not Groundhog Day. But maybe we can make that a thing.

How can you give your customers the ultimate in flexibility when customizing holiday lighting?

Whether it’s a brand new lighting system with the latest technology, swapping colored MR16 lamps into an existing system, or powering regular light strands and other decorations from an adapter that you operate from the palm of your hand - we can help you customize your lighting designs for that “wow factor” that your customers deserve.

Alliance BL200-BT. The Alliance Bluetooth Bullet fixture has a 4 watt integrated color changing lamp that you completely control from your smart phone. This product is truly innovative. Pick the preset colors of your choice or use the color prism on the phone app to get the exact color that you want! Every holiday color scheme has just become easy. The fixture also has three preset white settings, and can be dimmed.

What else can these little miracles do? They can be zoned, grouped, operated individually, or together. These fixtures have antennas that operate through a mesh Bluetooth technology, meaning that each fixture networks with each other. The more fixtures that you have installed, the stronger the Bluetooth signal will be. I have personally installed 7 at 50 feet away from 2 groupings and it worked flawlessly

Because the technology is built directly into the fixture itself, there is no need for additional equipment to install, and it will operate with any low voltage transformer from any manufacturer. The BL200-BT fixtures operate through a free iPhone or Android app. We'd love to show you how these work, so please stop by our Hardscape Center for a demo.

Brilliance Smart Socket WiFi Adapter. This product is an absolute game changer! Designed by Brilliance LED for landscape lighting systems, these adapters synchronize with your home’s WiFi network so that you may operate your system from ANYWHERE, at ANY TIME. Whether you are just outside on your patio or on vacation in Australia, so long as the adapter is connected to your WiFi, you will have complete control of it. You can set up on/off times on a 7 day week, or operate it manually through your smart phone. And if your customer doesn’t have a landscape lighting system, the Smart Socket will operate nearly anything that you plug into it. Don’t be fooled by the other cheap WiFi adapters on the market. These are built to last!

Alliance iTimer. If you are familiar with Alliance’s popular BT150/BT300 transformers, then you’ll fully understand how these work. The iTimer runs on Bluetooth technology that will synchronize with your smart phone. Its internal astrological clock will do all the work for you once it links up with the GPS settings on your phone. After that, plug in whatever you wish into it, set up you timing schedules, and you’re done. These are excellent timers for locations that are just outside of a home’s Wifi range.

Colored MR16 Lamps. If you are looking for a lamp in one specific color, such as blue for enhancing a blue spruce or maybe green to give a boxwood hedge that extra pop, chances are that we can help you make that happen. Christensen’s Plant & Hardscape Centers has strong distribution relationships with Sollos, Alliance, Brilliance LED, and Integral Lighting, so chances are high that we can get the color that you’re looking for at a competitive price, and in a manageable amount of time.

These examples that I have listed for you will enable you to expand a new lighting project, or enhance a previous one. For more information, please contact us or stop by and we will be happy to show you how these products operate and how they will benefit your customer.

That’s what they say when they light your Saganaki cheese with a lighter and it erupts into a fireball from the brandy they poured on prior to serving. Just as the flames die out, they squeeze some fresh lemon juice to extinguish the last of the flames and add some zest. I am not a big fan of that particular cheese dish, but I sure do love that fireball! I’m not the only one who loves to watch this blazing spectacle, as surely half or more of the restaurant’s patrons are watching too. I believe it’s the fascination of watching a controlled ball of fire in a public place.

Natural gas or propane fire pits and fireplaces are becoming more popular with each passing year, and our partner Firegear Outdoors is leading the way. Their products offer a variety of controls and safety features that the wood burning counterparts do not. Some examples are push button ignition and remote controlled ignition that can be linked to work with swimming pool controls. Safety features such as a flame sensing automatic shutoff if the flame happens to go out and easily accessible valves to shut off the gas to the unit. I like the convenience of being able to simply turn it off, and not have to wait for the fire to die by itself. You will no longer have to buy and store wood, and best of all, you have virtually no maintenance! The list goes on and on, and with many different types and styles, your choices are almost limitless. They even have a portable fire pits for the convenience of mobility.

Installation and design can appear to be complicated, but in reality it’s a breeze! Firegear offers many product resources such as help guides that show from start to finish including specs and diagrams. They have a tech help line number to call that has a real live person on the other end to help answer more complicated questions, or help walk you through trouble shooting a problem. Firegear Outdoors offers complete kits or just burning systems for just about everything. If you have something unique in mind Firegear will do custom work to create the perfect fire feature for you.

One of the only drawbacks to a natural gas fire pit or fireplace is the reduced amount of heat that they produce. Natural gas and propane burn at a cooler temperature, which is one of the reasons you can decorate the bottom of the kit with ceramic logs, reflective glass pieces or a glass enclosure. These units were designed for ambiance, not cooking or heat distribution. With that being said, they will still keep you toasty on a crisp fall night.

So pull up a chair, get a tasty beverage and enjoy some fire with the snap of a finger and push of a button. And don’t forget to see us at the Hardscape Center; we can help you decide which buttons to push!

If you read last week's post you know how easy it is to figure out what transformer to spec when you're designing with LED fixtures. Now we'd like to help you out some more by giving away FREE Sollos Modern Bullet fixtures - one for every $500 you spend on lighting at CPC.

These are one of our most popular fixtures and can be used in virtually any lighting installation. We're letting you know about this promotion today so you can lay out your lighting scheme in plenty of time to take advantage of this giveaway! 

This is a limited time offer that runs from September 10th through the 22nd, 2018.

...when it comes to landscape lighting.

Remember a few years back when the “New Math” technique was introduced to classrooms? I don’t know if it’s pursued any more, and I hope it isn’t, because it was a LOT of unnecessary steps to get to a bottom line when the old way was much more efficient, in my opinion.

Now let’s talk some “New Math” with lighting. To get optimal performance from halogen and incandescent systems, here’s some “Old Math” formulas you either have to have memorized, have a cheat sheet, or use a manufacturer's system calculator. You do this in order to figure out EXACTLY what voltage tap to use on a transformer to reach that sweet spot between 10.8 and 12 Volts per fixture, using the HUB connection method:

First calculation: Watts / Volts = Amps

Then: Amps x Distance x (2 x Resistance per Foot) = Voltage Drop

Oh, wait, you'll need this in order to get that last variable (Resistance per Foot):

• 12 gauge wire:   .00162
• 10 gauge wire:   .00108
• 8 gauge wire:     .00064

So, if you have five 20 watt halogen fixtures going 100 feet and using 12 gauge wire:

• 5 x 20 (total watts) / 12 (volts) = 8.3 (amps) then
• 8.3 (amps) x 100 (feet) x [2 x .00162 (R/F)] = 2.68 (voltage drop)

So the transformer needed for halogen or incandescent lighting, you would either have to use the 15 Volt tap, or remove 1 fixture from wire. 10 gauge wasn’t too bad to work with, but 8 gauge was a nightmare. Most contractors would have cheater formulas in their heads, such as if a run was 100’ or less, then you would use 12-2 wire, or if it was longer, use 10-2 wire. You get the idea.

Now that we got through “Old Math”, here’s “New Math” when using LEDs. DID YOU KNOW that an LED’s “sweet spot” isn’t between 10.8 and 12 volts? Instead, it’s between 8 and 24 volts per fixture, which means there’s a LOT of wiggle room! LED lamps have a far less draw on wattage as compared to their halogen & incandescent cousins, and will have equivalent or superior lumen output.

Quick example: Depending on the manufacturer, a standard JC20 LED lamp running between 2-3 watts has an output between 200 and 250 lumens - equal to or better than a 20 watt halogen that will likely max out at 200. Less draw = less resistance on a wire run. Less resistance = lesser gauge wire. This also means that you don’t need all those taps in a transformer, which normally means the transformer costs less.  One tap should more than cover any run you have using 14-2 gauge wire. If you’re doing wire runs longer than 150’, you can always play it safe and bump up to a 12-2 gauge wire and that will solve the issue.

In conclusion, at least in my twisted opinion, when installing/designing a lighting system, the “Old Math” halogen methods are near obsolete as compared to LED’s “New Math”, meaning that it isn’t really necessary any more, due to advances in modern technology, and it will only improve from here. “New Math” outside of the landscape lighting world however… I can figure out 12 x 10 in my head instead of writing out a 12 part equation.

I love going to Costco on Saturday mornings. Down almost every aisle you’ll find somebody doling out samples, whether it be a tasty snack, a new beverage or an amazing cleaning product. I’ve even had someone showing me how soft their pillows are. I’ve learned to go only after I’ve eaten a large breakfast, and to leave my credit cards at home. If not, I’m often left wondering how I can fit $500 worth of food in my vehicle, in my fridge and in my belly!

Sampling is a great selling technique, but an even better tool. Customers will look at a catalog and find the perfect color, only to later find that it may look different in person. Like every other catalog, brick catalogs are carefully photographed and edited. The product you receive may be a slightly different shade, or have a blend of colors you may not have noticed. A few sample pieces that you can take to the site is a great way to see how it will work in your project.

At Christensen’s Hardscape Center, we will gladly sample out most of the products we stock. The exceptions are large items such as steps that require more than a single person to manage. However we can likely match the color with a similar product in a more manageable size. We can also get samples of products that we don’t have in the yard such as those from Fendt, Oaks, or Belgard. We work closely with our vendors, and they are happy to bring us samples upon request. It may take a few days depending on what you are looking for.

As a wholesaler, we do not sell to or give out samples to the general public. Your customers may come in for samples, but we ask that you please call us in advance so we know who they are and that they are legitimately working with you. Samples are free and do not need to be returned. We do request everyone who is looking for samples to please visit us in the showroom first so we can assist you in picking up what you need. Our yard is large and busy, and I don’t want anyone getting a sample of an accident.