Happy October! Welcome back to our Potestio Brothers Equipment Newsletter! We are so glad you have joined us, Thank You!
October Holidays

Halloween
We can't wait to see your goblins, superheroes, princesses and farmers (and everything else of course!) Stop into any of our 4 locations for some candy and a free hat on Thursday October 31!
We are here to help!
9 Fall Tips to Improve Your Landscape from the Ground Up
You may not realize it, but fall is the best season to evaluate and begin restoring your landscape. Thanks to cooler temperatures and wetter weather, the mild fall climate is ideal for putting in the lawn work that will pay dividends come spring. From the soil beneath your feet to the limbs above your head, we’ve put together a list of 9 tips to help you address the most important components of your landscape this fall.
Tip 1 | Lawn or Soil Aeration
Aerating alleviates soil compaction and allows for a stronger, more vigorous lawn. Before starting the lawn aeration process, cut your lawn short and water it (but don't flood it) until you can easily push your index finger roughly one inch into the ground. If the ground is hard, the aerator won't be able to penetrate the soil and the seed will not have the holes in the ground and loose soil it needs to germinate, root and establish. For best results, make multiple passes with the aerator to avoid inconsistent grass growth with noticeable stand-alone patches of grass. If your lawn is in good shape, two passes are sufficient. If your lawn has large bare areas, make three to four passes.
Tip 2 | Watering and Irrigation
When caring for your lawn, keep in mind that it needs less water than you think. People tend to irrigate too often. Most lawns only need to be watered once every 4 to 8 days. Grass needs about one inch of water per week, and it needs to be applied evenly and deeply throughout the lawn. How long depends on your irrigation system, but avoid watering in the evening as this promotes fungal diseases. Water your lawn preferably in the early morning to avoid evaporation. As colder weather approaches, be sure to winterize your irrigation system. Checking your valves and draining all of the water out of any irrigation components that might freeze is key to preventing damage during winter months.
Tip 3 | Fertilizing
Fall is the best time to fertilize your lawn. Based on the nitrogen concentration of your lawn, calculate how much fertilizer you will need. Keep in mind that it is better to use too little fertilizer than too much. Cool-season and warm-season grasses have different fertilizing schedules, but as a rule of thumb you’ll want to make two applications: one in September/October and the next in November. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the rate of application and make sure you apply your fertilizer evenly. Use a different fertilizer formula for the second application.
Tip 4 | Drought Repair
If drought persists into the fall, you’ll want to water your lawn a couple times a week and do so long enough to soak the soil several inches deep. To take care of your lawn, aerate it from time to time and when you water it, make sure to do it slowly and with some kind of sprinkler system or hose. Do the same for your plants, but the best thing you can do to protect your plants and flowers during drought conditions is to use mulch. Lastly, during hot and dry conditions, it is a good idea to conserve water in any way possible.
Tip 5 | Weed Control
Weeds such as dandelions, thistles, clover, and weed grasses are one of the most common lawn problems. Large numbers of weeds are normally an indication of a lawn suffering from poor nutrient levels. Fertilizer is the ideal solution in such cases. Frequent mowing at a high cutting height acts as an additional defense against the growth of weeds by preventing access to the light needed for germination. Using good-quality seed is also a factor that should not be overlooked. In addition, carrying out regular and deep aerating is an effective method of preventing weeds from invading in the first place. However, digging weeds out which have taken hold remains the best, and often only, solution.
Tip 6 | Leaf Control
Leaves are synonymous with fall, so remove leaves from your lawn regularly to prevent suffocating the turf. Blow off walks frequently to prevent slippery conditions. Powered blowers and shredder vacs relieve the strain of clearing driveways, paths and lawns, and the latest STIHL models make clearing leaves a breeze. Blow leaves into a pile before collecting them up with a STIHL shredder vac or by hand. Mowing over leaves is one of the quickest and easiest ways to clear them from your lawn. Your lawn mower must have good suction power and be a collecting model.
Tip 7 | Add Color for Spring
Fall is the best time to plant spring-blooming bulbs. A rewarding strategy is to plant several different varieties as different bulbs have different bloom times, which means you can enjoy the fruits of your hard work all spring long. Additionally, it is a good practice to plant a wide range of varieties and colors to account for those that may not come up.
Tip 8 | Pruning
When the heat of summer has passed, take a good look at all of the shrubs and ground cover on your property and give them one last pruning (either hand snipping for natural appearance, or shearing when appropriate). Get them ready to put to bed for a long winter. Be sure to cut back perennials to near soil level, once they begin to change colors, and take proper steps to ensure that your plants are not distressed from pruning, especially shrubs and trees. Observe limbs that create visibility and clearance issues for foot or vehicle traffic. Consider pruning to improve security. Are there limbs that are susceptible during upcoming winter storms? Prune now before limbs break and create new problems.
Tip 9 | Mulching
Freshly mulched beds give a polished finish and help protect through winter. After all pruning is completed and leaves are removed, fresh mulch gives a nice finished look for the coming holiday season. Many landscaping professionals prefer fall mulching to retain soil moisture, suppress weed growth and protect bare soil from erosion. Fall mulching also insulates soil and plant roots, protecting them from colder temperatures.
Proper Machine Maintenance
Fall is here and the snow will be flying before we know it! Be prepared for winter this year by getting your equipment ready early! Now is the perfect time to get your equipment winter ready whether it needs preventative maintenance service, a tune up or an adjustment.

Proper machine maintenance is the best way to make sure your equipment starts quickly, runs efficiently, and mows beautifully. Click HERE to schedule your machine's maintenance today!

John Deere Fun Fact! 
  
Heather Arthofer found herself in a situation many people do at one point or another in their careers — struggling.

She was in a new role where she didn’t feel like the right fit. At the same time her kids had all left for college.
“As a mother, this is what you prepare them for,” she said. “But what was I going to do now? I felt like I wasn’t valuable at home or at work.”
Arthofer, who had previously been a coach and mentor to other employees, decided it was time she benefit from being the mentee. Through the coaching process and reflection, Arthofer began to think about the legacy she wanted to leave.
“I had to ask myself what do I want the next 10 years of work to look like? What is going to motivate me each day?” she said. “And I realized that not only do I want to intentionally focus on hitting my goals but passing forward the opportunities I received at Deere to others.”
Practicing what you preach
Early in her career, Arthofer was in software engineering and development roles before moving to a position working on strategic people initiatives for IT, a more challenging assignment. Arthofer found herself talking a lot about the advantages of an expanded career path.
“I continued to relate it back to times in my career I really enjoyed,” she recalled. “The engineer path and the continuous learning mindset topics were what I was talking about to others. I reflected that I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching. I thought, if I am leading this, why wasn’t I doing it? Why am I not?”
Arthofer decided to return to coding and took a role as a senior software engineer. In this new role she feels confident in her skills and is proficient in several IT disciplines.
“I’m not a master, but I am confident that with the networks I have now, I can learn anything,” Arthofer said. “I built confidence in my technical capabilities, and I love it.
“I have a reason to come into work now. I’m inspired to learn this new stuff so I can pass it along to the next generation and help them build the same career and bring their best self to work.”
“Passing it forward”
Arthofer has been described as a person who leads the change she wants to see. She is now involved in a local organization where she mentors young women and offers career guidance.
“I encourage them to reflect around the roles that are the most interesting to them, what excites them, what motivates them,” she explained. “I ask them to leverage their networks to really understand roles and see if it is something they would like to do. Find that next role they are inspired for and motivated for. It may be uncomfortable, but test it out.
“A coach helped me get started and when there were roadblocks, he gave me enough to keep me going to learn and gain confidence. Now, I can pass that forward.”

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