If you’re new to the Green Industry, you might be surprised by all the trade publications available to help you get ideas, advice and news, serving up print and digital issues.
Here are ten publications geared towards the green industry trades that could be useful to you, covering topics for landscaping and irrigation professionals, golf course superintendents, hardscaping specialists, sports field and parks groundskeepers and more.
As the self-proclaimed “business magazine for landscape, irrigation and maintenance contractors,” IGIN offers a jam-packed monthly print and digital magazine. The January issue recently offered a 2019 Green Industry Outlook from a survey of 437 landscape businesses, a profile with the creator of a new lawn services app, and advice on attracting great employees and creating a marketing plan. The Irrigation Association purchased the magazine in 2017 and also owns Irrigation Today, an agricultural irrigation magazine.
Cost: $55 per year or $80 for two years.
Lawn & Landscape bills itself as the “leading business media for landscape contractors” and covers tons of topics for professionals with business on their minds: spring turf tips, SEO, outdoor living trends, advice on franchising and more. Check out their recent cover story, Worth the Wait, on how one company took on the challenge of getting green cards for their workers.
Subscriptions are free for qualifying companies.
Landscape Contractor is a monthly magazine spotlighting various landscape industry and business issues, from construction forecasts and industry association highlights, to the use of virtual reality in design process in one of its latest issues.
Cost: Free to licensed landscape contractors.
LM publishes a dense monthly print magazine and digital issue, covering “Real-World Solutions” on a wide range of landscape topics, from turf and ornamental care, to installations, irrigation and maintenance. One of their latest issues featured articles robotic mower testing and top tips for selling aeration services, business growth strategies and much more.
Cost: $59.95 per year or $95.95 for two years.
Hardscape is a magazine for all-things hardscaping, of course, featuring award winning projects, new products and equipment, and business advice in their six issues per year. Give their latest cover story a read for advice on applying for awards for your hardscape projects.
Cost: Free to landscape and hardscape contractors and suppliers; or $30 per year.
This monthly glossy focuses on the business of golf course management and boasts the largest Twitter following of any industry publication! GCI offers articles on work-life balance, operations, technology and career and includes interesting features you might not expect from a golf course focused magazine, like advice on coping with anxiety and smart phone photography tips for taking shots of the course.
Cost: $33 per year or $65 for two years.
As “The Resource for Superintendents,” this monthly magazine zeros in on all things golf course related, from turf science and diseases, to industry news and events and new equipment reviews. Check out Golfdom’s recent cover story on where the industry is headed for 2019.
Cost: $58.95 per year or $88.95 for two years.
Athletic Turf is a digital only publication for sports turf news for groundskeepers, field managers, contractors and more. You can get features covering topics including autonomous mowers and other new products and videos like Man vs. weather: How one MiLB crew adapts to drastic climate shifts by subscribing to their monthly e-newsletter.
Cost: Free.
SportsTurf magazine is the official publication of the Sports Turf Managers Association, offering advice to decision makers on athletic fields, facilities and complexes. This monthly magazine covers industry news and advice on and off the field, from when to aerify your fields and how to monitor playing conditions, to tips for taking care of your own health. And if you’re looking for a fun challenge, don’t miss John Mascaro’s Photo Quiz in each issue.
Cost: $40 per year; $65 for two years.
PRB is a monthly magazine geared toward parks and recreation directors, administrators, and staff, and anyone who working in the parks and rec world. Recent issues include features on holiday light displays for parks facilities, leaf blower bans, and how to deal with invasive shot-hole borers.
Cost: Free to industry professionals.
What publications do you read or recommend?
We know there are even more local and national trade magazines geared toward irrigators, landscape contractors, and other green industry professionals across the country.
Which ones do you read or follow?
Tell us in the comments below.