By Emma Peterson. 

How modern water management technologies help contractors improve sustainability, save money and keep landscapes thriving. 

In a new episode of OutdoorTalk™, host Karol Weyman sits down with Luis Andrade of Heritage Landscape Supply Group to discuss the smart tools and strategies available to irrigations and landscape professionals. This is a topic that Luis is very passionate about, as he shared:  

I joined Heritage about four and a half years ago. Prior to that, I worked as a specification manager collaborating with cities, architects and engineers on some cool projects like green walls, smart water controllers, moisture sensors, ET flow meters – all of that good stuff that helps us conserve some water.  

Why is it so important to develop all this technology around conserving water? First and foremost, it’s about sustainability. Luis explained, “Only 3% of the world's water is fresh water, and 2% of that is in glaciers. The other 97% is saltwater. So, in practice we only have access to 1% and that’s not a lot. In order to make sure our children and their children still have fresh, clean water, we have to be a good steward of that 1%.”  

In addition to the environmental stewardship perspective, conserving water also comes with financial and aesthetic benefits. As Luis put it, “Smarter water management leads to healthier plants and long-term cost savings. Some of those savings are directly related to having healthier plants, as you’re not having to replace things as much, but it also saves you money on the water bill.” 

So, what exactly do these smarter water management tools look like? A common one is getting a more advanced irrigation controller. Luis explained:  

Most people just go to their irrigation controller and choose an amount of time, maybe 10 minutes, maybe 20 or 30 without any rhyme or reason. And what often happens is that they are running their sprinklers or whatever their irrigation is too long and excess water is running off, not going into the soil. 

By getting a more advanced, “smarter” irrigation controller that has more precise timing capabilities or allows you to control settings remotely, you can better control the timing of your irrigation system, leading to a healthier landscape, a healthier planet and a healthier wallet.  

Listen to the whole OutdoorTalk or Watch the episode on YouTube to learn more!  

In this OutdoorTalk™, Karol Weyman is joined by Logan Barker and Jamie Jaramillo from Noble Tile, along with John Zaprala from Heritage Landscape Supply Group, to explore how tile, hardscapes and pool design work together to create exceptional outdoor living environments. The discussion will cover pool finishes, waterline tile, coping, decking materials, outdoor living trends, installation best practices and common project challenges. Attendees will gain insight into selecting the right materials for pools, patios and outdoor spaces while learning how strong supplier partnerships and thoughtful planning contribute to durable, cohesive projects that exceed customer expectations.

Register today!

By Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

Through education, innovation and relationships, Cultivate’26 showed how horticulture is shaping the future of outdoor living. 

When OutdoorCoffeeShop® traveled to Columbus, Ohio, for Cultivate’26, we knew we were heading into one of the biggest gatherings in horticulture. What we did not fully expect was how directly the conversations would connect to outdoor living. Everywhere we turned, there were ideas contractors and landscapers could use to help customers create outdoor spaces that are healthier, more beautiful and built to last. 

A great place to start was with Heritage Landscape Supply Group during their hospitality events. Those gatherings had the kind of energy I love at shows like this. People were catching up, talking through what they were seeing on the floor and sharing what is really happening in the field. With strong industry partners supporting the events, the conversations showed how connected this industry becomes when growers, suppliers and contractors are working toward better solutions together. 

I also had the chance to sit down with Susie Anderson, marketing and project manager for Heritage Landscape Supply Group’s agronomics division. Susie talked about the work Heritage is doing with greenhouse and nursery growers while supporting the vendors who help those growers protect and strengthen their plants. For me, that conversation made the connection very clear. The same thinking that helps growers raise healthier plants is part of the story contractors are telling when they create landscapes that are beautiful and easy to maintain. 

Susie reminded us that Heritage reaches well beyond agronomics. The work they do touches the full outdoor environment in turn helping bring plant health, water management and design support into the spaces homeowners and commercial property owners enjoy every day. That is exactly why OutdoorCoffeeShop was there. We want to help contractors find the companies and ideas that make those outdoor spaces stronger from the ground up. 

That same theme carried into our visits with Heritage vendor partners. BASF had a fun LEGO® activity that pulled people in, but the real conversation was around helping greenhouse and nursery professionals protect their crops and improve plant health. The same was true across the show floor, where vendor conversations kept coming back to the support professionals need to do their best work for customers. 

Walking the show floor, I kept thinking about the conversations contractors and landscapers have every day with homeowners and building owners. People want outdoor spaces that look beautiful, but they also want those spaces to make sense long term. That is what made Cultivate so valuable. The ideas we found were not just interesting show pieces. They were practical solutions professionals could bring into the spaces they design and maintain. 

That came through clearly in my conversation with Eric Bishop of Urban Organics, a family owned compost and soil company based in Ohio. Eric shared how the company takes horse stable bedding that would otherwise head to a landfill and turn it into healthy, living compost. Because the bedding starts with clean wood shavings and natural organic material, Urban Organics can create a more consistent foundation for soil health. That careful process is behind the company’s Sweet Peet products, which serve garden centers and landscape professionals across the region. 

Eric also talked about Deep Roots; the newer brand Urban Organics is growing for a broader national audience. I loved hearing how they are taking that same family business mindset and building products for today’s growers. The line includes options that support both indoor and outdoor plants, giving homeowners and professionals another way to think about soil health. It was a great reminder that beautiful landscapes really do begin below the surface. 

Foremost was another booth that pulled us right in because sometimes the difference in an outdoor living space is that extra pop of color. Erica Santa, Foremost’s marketing director, shared how the company produces and sells young tropical plants from farms in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Central Florida. She was especially excited about curcumas because they bring dramatic color and beautiful foliage to containers that can move with the seasons. In warm climates, they can shine outside, and when the weather changes, they can come indoors. 

Then there was Woollets, and I have to say, this was one of those products that made us stop and ask more questions. Karen Mayhew, who runs the women-owned company with business partner Elaine Becker, explained how they take waste wool from sheep and turn it into a soil amendment and slow-release fertilizer. The wool is processed into small pellets that expand in the soil and help hold water where plants need it most. For contractors, that can mean less watering and healthier planting while also supporting a product that gives farmers a fair market for wool that might otherwise be thrown away. 

We also could not miss the plant introductions. Terra Nova Nurseries’ Heuchera FYRE WING Series brought the kind of creativity that makes this show so fun. It is the kind of plant story that gives contractors and garden centers something fresh to share with customers who are looking for something different. 

That is what I appreciated most about Cultivate’26. It was not just a show about plants; it was a reminder that every part of the green industry is connected. What growers are learning and producing today will show up tomorrow in the outdoor living spaces customers enjoy every day. 

OutdoorCoffeeShop will continue sharing these stories because this is exactly where our industry is going. Contractors are being asked to know more while recommending solutions that help customers make better decisions about their outdoor living spaces. Cultivate gave us a front-row look at the people and companies helping make that possible, and we are excited to keep bringing those conversations to the industry. Be sure to visit OutdoorCoffeeShop and watch our Cultivate coverage on the OutdoorCoffeeShop YouTube channel to hear directly from the industry leaders we met along the way. 

On this OutdoorTalk™, host Karol Weyman sits down with Luis Andrade of Heritage Landscape Supply Group to discuss the tools and strategies helping landscape professionals make every drop count. From smart controllers and drip irrigation to rain sensors, drainage solutions and low-water landscape design, this conversation will explore how contractors can improve irrigation performance while supporting sustainability, plant health and long-term client satisfaction. Tune in for practical insights that can help contractors build smarter landscapes from the ground up.

Register today!

By Emma Peterson. 

How smart irrigation tools and practices can lead to healthier landscapes, satisfied clients and a sustainable future.  

For decades, scientists have been warning about water usage and an impending global water crisis. And at the beginning of this year, those warnings became far more real with the United Nations reporting that “around four billion people experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year, while drought impacts cost an estimated $307 billion annually.” What can be done about this crisis? We can use more efficient tools and strategies that improve our irrigation systems and support sustainability. To learn more about this topic, we invited Luis Andrade of Heritage Landscape Supply Group (HLSG) onto an OutdoorTalk™ webinar on the topic – Smart Watering for Every Season.  

Meet the guest 

Luis’ career in the outdoor industries goes back to 1996 when he worked at Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply as a specifications manager. After working there for over two decades, he joined SiteOne Landscape Supply, the largest supplier of wholesale goods for green industry professionals in North America. Today, he leans on both of these experiences in his current work as HSLG’s South Texas district manager.  

What this OutdoorTalk™ episode will be about 

And you can also lean on Luis’ extensive knowledge by attending the webinar! This episode will open with a conversation about the significance of smarter water management and how to overcome common watering mistakes. Then, Luis will move into tools and strategies that can help contractors create more efficient watering systems and schedules. These solutions include everything from Wi-Fi irrigation controllers and rain/freeze sensors to PRS sprays/rotors and wetting agents. 

Attendees will leave with a strong understanding of how these more water-efficient solutions not only support global sustainability efforts, but also support plant growth, long-term landscape health, economic savings and client satisfaction.  

The Smart Watering for Every Season webinar will be hosted live on July 14, 2026 at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET). Make sure to register to attend!

By Emma Peterson. 

A look at Heritage’s new 4-way, post-emergent herbicide. 

Weeds are one of those things that aren’t a problem until they are. Every lawn care professional can probably recall a time when a customer called and needed weed removal done yesterday. Heritage designed their ForceOut herbicide for that very occasion!  

ForceOut is a post-emergent herbicide that features four active ingredients:  2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba and pyraflufen-ethyl. This combination of powerful ingredients allows professionals using ForceOut to get faster and more precise results.  

It is perfect for handling hard-to-kill weeds like dandelions, chickweed, clover, henbit, plantain and ground ivy. At the same time, it was engineered for safe use on everything from fescue and ryegrass to bluegrass, bermudagrass and zoysia grass. This makes it perfect for use on home lawns, golf courses, athletic fields and other high visibility turf sites. And the best part? It does its job fast! Results are visible in 24-48 hours, helping lower the number of complaints and callbacks while improving your reputation.  

Additionally, ForceOut was created with the outdoor professional in mind. It mixes well with some liquid fertilizers (such as Droplex Xtra, Gulfstream Free, Droplex and Windsurf Pro) and is used at a low rate (specifically 48–64 oz/acre). At the end of the day, ForceOut is the economical, efficient and easy way to control tough broadleaf weeds.  

Contact your territory manager to learn about adding ForceOut to your seasonal program.

By Emma Peterson. 

Through key partnerships and initiatives, Heritage is uplifting outdoor living professionals around the country. 

Founded in 2018, Heritage’s vision is to form a “network of the best independent distributors to provide exceptional customer service while increasing our value as a trusted growth partner to top manufacturers in the industry.” And they are well on their way to that, with their Pool Supply Group uniting 160+ locations across 36 states and the Landscape Supply Group boasting 32+ distribution brands and over 210+ locations across the USA. To learn more about this industry leader, Karol Weyman hosted Brittainy Klein and Rachel Mohorn for an episode of OutdoorTalk™.  

Rachel is the director of marketing for Heritage Landscape Supply and Brittainy is marketing director at Heritage Pool Supply. The duo started by sharing some more context to who Heritage is and their mission, with Rachel explaining, “We're still in our infancy in terms of how many years we've been under the name Heritage Supply Group. However, with the acquisitions across the country, some of these companies have been around for over 100 years, and so the amount of knowledge is just incredibly deep. It really speaks to our slogan, Deep Roots, Shared Vision.”   

And building a network through acquisitions is just one of the ways that Heritage is leading the outdoor industry. They are also creating a connected digital community through their partnership with OutdoorCoffeeShop™ and building bridges with other organizations and professionals outside of the outdoor industry with the Heritage Cares foundation. Brittainy explained a bit of what this foundation does:  

Heritage Cares is how we give back to our communities and support those that are in need. From a pool standpoint, we throw a concert and host an auction at NESPA every year, and all the money that we raise on tickets and the auction goes back to Heritage Cares. One of our biggest initiatives is supporting Step into Swim, which is an organization that works to provide children in communities swim lessons. 

Rachel shared what the landscape group does, saying, “On the landscape side, our big Heritage Cares initiative is Project Evergreen, which is an organization that works to expand green spaces across the United States (like parks, football fields, etc.) and operates the Green Care for Troops program which is all about helping military families care for their yards when their loved ones are deployed.”  

Overall, Heritage is a leader in the outdoor industry not just because of the impressive numbers their networks boast, but because of the ways they go above and beyond through Heritage Cares and their online initiative. 

Listen to the episode or Watch the recording to learn more about Heritage and their industry-leading initiatives. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Join Heritage Landscape Supply Group for their 2026 XTV Soccer tour!  

The World Cup is coming to the United States and Heritage Landscape Supply Group (HLSG) is helping you count down the days with their 2026 XTV Soccer tour! This tour is a great opportunity for fans of all levels, from die-hards to newcomers, to put on team colors, meet up and enjoy delicious food and drinks while watching the most important tournament of the year together. There will also be raffle prizes!  

The tour will be stopping at a variety of HLSG, Heritage Pool Supply and SRS Distribution locations around the country. Check out the schedule: 

• Inglewood, California: Watch the U.S. versus Paraguay match on June 12, 2026! The event will be hosted at 714 East Manchester Boulevard, near SoFi Stadium. 
• Seattle, Washington: Next, the tour heads North for the U.S. versus Australia game on June 19, 2026. This stop is also outside a famous stadium (in this case T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field) on 1731 4th Avenue South. 
• Alpharetta, Georgia and Denver, Colorado: Then, for the Group Stage Triple Header on June 27, 2026, XTV will be hosting two tailgates! One will be at the Heritage branch in Alpharetta Branch (755 Union Hill Road) while the other will be watched from the SRS Denver branch (4550 E 52nd Ave) while the other will be watched from the  
• Katy, Texas and Olathe, Kansas: Likewise, the July 11, 2026, Quarter Finals Double Header will be hosted from two locations – the Heritage Katy Branch (2737 W Grand Pkwy N) in Texas and the SRS Olathe Branch (550 Old Hwy 56) in Kansas.  
• Joppa, Maryland and Tampa, Florida: And last but not least, for the finals that are held on July 19, 2026, the XTV team will have two tailgates. One at the Joppa Heritage Branch (12140 Pulaski Hwy) and one at the SRS Tampa Branch (14212 N Nebraska Ave). 

Not only does this promise to be a fun bonding experience for you and your peers, but it is also a great way to build relationships and connections that can help you grow your business.  

RSVP to a tour stop near you!

Join us for a training on Heritage Artificial Turf!

COMPLETE INSTALLATION TRAINING FROM THE GROUND UP

This event offers free training on installing synthetic turf in English and Spanish, covering components, tools, and troubleshooting common issues. Participants will gain skills and confidence to tackle various projects, from small residential lawns to large commercial installations.

All HAT Super Training attendees will receive a 10% off coupon for their next HAT purchase. The coupon expires on June 30, 2026.

Reserve a spot!

The class will cover:

• Review of Alliance Outdoor Solutions
• Design practices
• Quoting / Bidding
• Tools for the Job

Lunch will be provided!

Reserve a spot today!