Air, water, food. . . and broadband Internet—the essentials for survival in this new millennium!

The landscape industry and the tech world have really come together in many ways, and there are three technologies in particular that I believe will truly make life easier for landscape contractors and their clients—and they can actually save money!

1. Smart Water Management

Today, more than ever before, water management and conservation is vital to our urban society. A city without any tree-lined streets and parks and green belts is depressing, so trees, grass and plants will likely always be with us. Technology makes it possible to have the best of both worlds: beautiful landscapes and minimal use of water.

Some very smart options for water management come from Baseline. Baseline controllers work on a simple principle: Let the soil moisture level decide when water is needed. Using soil moisture sensors to gauge the irrigation, Baseline optimizes the amount of water needed for a landscape, therefore using the least amount of water to get the best looking landscape possible.

Baseline's WaterTec S100 soil moisture sensor is a simple device that can work with any controller. Using an existing valve wire, the S100 can be connected to the timer and control when you irrigate according the moisture in the soil.

Baseline’s more robust controllers can easily connect to the Internet and can be programmed from a laptop or smartphone. Baseline is on the cutting edge of watering landscapes only when needed, using technology to make it easier and affordable.

2. Scheduling and Billing with Hindsite Solutions

Hindsite Solutions is another great technology that allows a contractor to become virtually paperless. After being in the field for about six years, I know the effort and time it takes to keep paperwork in order. Spending 10 to 12 hours laboring on a worksite all day and then coming home to do paperwork is a big problem. That’s why most contractors are great in their field, but are terrible bookkeepers and accountants!

Hindsite takes care of every need, from maintenance scheduling to project estimating and is completely paperless. Hindsite also has excellent support and will help you get your business organized and more profitable! You can view their online demo at www.hindsitesoftware.com. Best of all, Ewing customers receive a discount off the start up costs!

3. Online Ordering

Last but not least is another online advantage for the landscape professional: www.ewingirrigation.com, Ewing’s website. The site has a lot of useful resources available but I would just like to focus on online ordering.

Here’s how it works: A Ewing customer can go online a few days before they start a project and enter their order for delivery. The order will print out at the branch and a Service Professional will confirm the order and get it ready for delivery. On the day of delivery the Ewing Service Professional will call the customer and confirm the delivery directions and will have the order on site in a timely manner. You can also save orders online, for fast ordering next time.

These three technologies can save water, money and time. Whether you’re looking for a smart controller, a smarter way to do paperwork or a smarter way to order your material, Ewing can help!