Category: Business

NTDT — A Tradition Of Outstanding, Safe Dance Instruction!

*“The Nutcracker” is in its 22nd Dance Theatre of Tampa season, and this year will be held* ***Friday-Sunday, December 17-19,*** *at the USF Tampa College of Arts Theater 1.*

Whether you or your child likes to dance for fun or dreams of a career on stage one day, the New Tampa Dance Theatre (NTDT) offers dancers a world-class, professional experience that is unmatched in the Tampa Bay area.

Located on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from Heritage Isles) in New Tampa, the 7,500-sq.-ft. NTDT is the largest professional dance training facility in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. Owner and artistic director Dyane Elkins IronWing is in her 27th season of creating dance memories and futures for her students, many of whom have gone on to study dance in college and/or dance professionally.

“As always, I’m so proud of our students,” says Elkins IronWing. “Our dancers become excellent college students, with their impressive time-management skills, perseverance and creative thinking. Our hearts are bursting with excitement, seeing our beautiful students again. We are continuing to give back to the community during this pandemic with our “Pay It Forward” program and offering all new students $25 per month tuition for every class!”

NTDT’s complete schedule of classes is being offered with in-person classes. Elkins IronWing says that the safety of her students has always been her top priority, so social distance guidelines, extra disinfecting nightly with hospital-grade products and wearing masks are all required at this time.

“Our students are extremely excited being back dancing at the school again and spending time with their dance family,” says Elkins IronWing. “We’re extremely proud of our faculty and students’ dedication and perseverance during this pandemic. They are all truly living up to the NTDT motto of ‘Respect, Responsibility and Teamwork.’”

A Chance To ‘Do As I Have Done’

Elkins IronWing says she started dancing at age 5, later trained in New York City and performed with Ballet Metropolitan in Columbus, OH.

She moved to Tampa in 1995 and immediately opened NTDT in the Pebble Creek Collection. In 2002, she purchased the current NTDT property on Cross Creek Blvd, and moved her school to the new building in January 2006.

With the bigger location, Elkins IronWing was off and running, offering smaller class sizes and larger, more varied schedules.

She says NTDT also has a larger pool of students today, with the ongoing explosive growth in Wesley Chapel, as well as in New Tampa.

“Our name might say New Tampa,” she says, “but our location is much closer to Wesley Chapel than one might assume. We are extremely convenient to all of the current growth (there). Wesley Chapel families are shocked to discover just how close we are and are excited because of how quickly they can drive to our school.”

All Ages & Experience Levels

NTDT caters to both the recreational dance lover as well as the devoted pre-professional — and every level in between.

The studio’s leveled curriculum offers multiple art forms for students to explore. Through personalized attention and professional expertise, NTDT’s professional faculty strives to provide a positive educational experience.

Children ages 3-4 can participate in the school’s Early Childhood Program, ages 5-8 can take part in the Children’s Program and ages 9-18 are invited to join NTDT’s Youth Program.

In addition to classical ballet, NTDT offers full programs in creative movement, modern, jazz, tap and hip-hop.

Each program has its own directors and specific syllabuses guiding students in a structured manner through their studies.

The facilities at NTDT are as top notch as the instructors, and include maple flooring for the tap classes, 20-25-ft.-tall mirrored walls, student locker rooms and a large studio space that can accommodate up to 200 people.

Sprung floors provide shock absorption to protect the dancers’ joints and an on-site physical therapist ensures the health of the dancers. NTDT also features a café offering light meals, snacks and drinks.

The Training You Need

NTDT has developed a reputation for creating strong, professional dancers with alumni who have moved on to highly respected dance companies, Broadway productions, national tours and even the Walt Disney Company.

Because NTDT students learn to be proficient in multiple art forms, these students have an edge in the competitive world of dance and many of them have been accepted into prestigious summer intensive programs, including the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater in New York City, The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago and the Boston Ballet.

“With just passing our milestone 25th 2.0 anniversary celebration season, it’s a time for reflection with extreme gratitude and love for all the amazing people who have been a part of our dance programs and family,” says Elkins IronWing.

One local former student certainly agrees with that assessment.

“I credit all of my success as a professional dancer to the foundational training I received at NTDT from ages 6-18,” says Victoria DeRenzo, who today is a professional dancer and choreographer who has toured internationally in 28 countries on four continents, most notably with the renowned Pilobolus Dance Theatre in Washington Depot, CT.

“I loved every second of my experience growing up there,” DeRenzo adds, “but I had no idea how spoiled I was until I graduated. Not many people receive a top-notch dance education in multiple artforms during their lifetimes, let alone at the age of 6.”

If a student doesn’t choose to pursue a career in dance after high school, they can still reach a level of artistry to be accepted into many college dance programs, says Elkins IronWing.

“Believing in yourself, respecting the process of working towards a goal, and having a well-rounded dance education give our students the tools and confidence to continue discovering new passions throughout their lifetimes,” she says.

Great Productions, Too!

All students have the opportunity to perform in NTDT’s “Spring Production” and — through the studio’s nonprofit partner, the Dance Theatre of Tampa (DTT) — in the winter production of “The Nutcracker,” as well as the “Summer Concert Series,” held in June at the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus.

DTT provides more than 300 free tickets to NTDT’s corporate sponsors, local community supporters, alumni members and students. A small costume rental fee for productions is the only cost over the tuition that parents have to pay at any time — Elkins IronWing says there is never a requirement to buy advertising or pay performance fees.

New Tampa residents Gary and Charity Hartley relocated here in 2018 from Virginia, and enrolled their daughter Hope at NTDT.

“The New Tampa Dance Theatre and the entire staff were the linchpins for our transition into the New Tampa area,” Charity says. “The warmth of the studio, quality of instruction and wonderful students have made us feel right at home. We especially love the way (NTDT) manages the educational aspect of their DTT company members, ensuring they have exposure to various dance forms in their weekly training, master classes and dance performances they attend as a group.”

Every holiday season, Elkins IronWing says local residents look forward to the community’s largest and longest-running interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “The Nutcracker,” now in its 22nd DTT season. This year, it will be held Friday-Sunday, December 17-19, at the USF Tampa College of Arts Theater 1.

“It’s all about the children at NTDT, always has been and always will be,” she says. “We are a company that enables children to succeed. The key is setting high expectations, all while having fun and building self-confidence. With the transition season ahead of us, we would like to thank all of our trusting and loyal families over the years and the organizations that continually support our vision. Without their recognition and time, NTDT wouldn’t be the magical place it has become!”

The New Tampa Dance Theatre offers year-round free trial classes for prospective dancers of all ages. To tour the facility or to rent it for a meeting, party or function, visit NTDT at 10701 Cross Creek Blvd. For more information and to check out the exciting lineup of fall 2021 classes, visit NewTampaDanceTheatre.com, call (813) 994-NTDT (6838) or see the ad on page 27. You also can follow NTDT on Facebook and Instagram at “New Tampa Dance Theatre.”

new tampa dance theatre

Nibbles and Bites: Sweet Party closing.

Very soon, New Tampa will have no party stores, as the Sweet Party store located at 20310 Trout Creek Dr., west of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (behind Burger 21) will close, most likely sometime immediately after Halloween (Sunday, October 31).

Owner Maher Alagal says that although Sweet Party is still making money, he is ready to retire and spend more time with his family. He also has been looking to sell the store, which became the only party store in New Tampa after the Party Scene store in the Pebble Creek Collection on BBD closed in 2017.

“People said I put Party Scene out of business when I opened, but I actually tried to buy that store from its owner before it closed,” Maher says. “I honestly believed that there was room for two party supply and costume stores in this area.”

But now, with Halloween less than six weeks away as this issue arrived in your mailbox, Maher says that everything in his store must go, including his huge selection of Halloween costumes for men, women and children. And yes, at our press time, the selection of available costumes at Sweet Party was still pretty sizable, but moving fast, especially with the entire inventory of costumes up to 70% to 80% off their regular prices.

Maher says similar savings are available on party supplies, balloons and other unique merchandise — but don’t blame me if anything mentioned here is gone before you get there!

For info, call Sweet Party at (813) 994-4900 or visit SweetPartyTampa.com. — GN

Jeremiah’s To Expand To Wesley Chapel

Congrats to partners Pete and Dru Patel, who opened their first Jeremiah’s Italian Ice franchise earlier this month at 7936 Gall Blvd. in Zephyrhills.

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, which was opened at its original location in Winter Park, FL, in 1996 by founder and Philadelphia native Jeremy Litwack, now has 60 locations in Arizona and throughout Florida.

The good news for Wesley Chapel isn’t just because of Jeremiah’s unique gelati (Italian ice layered with soft-serve ice cream), but also because the partners also plan to open two Wesley Chapel locations. Visit JeremiahsIce.com or call (813) 438-5754 for more info.

Sweet Party

Organic Safe Lawns Takes Healthier Approach To Green and Healthy Lawns!

Nick Pipitone has used other lawn service companies, and even tried to keep his yard green and healthy himself, but he says he was looking for a safer, more environmentally sound option to keep his lawn, as well as his beloved English bulldog, chemical-free.

That’s why, about five years ago, Pipitone decided to hire Jim Schanstra and his Organic Safe Lawns to take care of his lawn.

“I gotta tell you, there is stuff out there, the stuff they (Organic Safe Lawns) uses, that greens up the grass real good,” says Pipitone, a Wesley Chapel resident. “You don’t need all the chemicals. That’s what I was looking for…and they have done a great job.”

Keeping lawns green, free of pests and healthy is Organic Safe Lawns’ specialty. Whether it’s because your kids play in the grass or your pets like to run around in the yard, making sure they stay danger-free is a big deal for Schanstra.

In fact, he says it’s why he started his business in the first place.

Schanstra suspects that exposure to DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) as a youngster had something to do with his wife Julie developing non-Hodgkin’s large cell lymphoma cancer. DDT was used in the U.S. in agriculture as a pesticide and as a household insecticide in the 1940s and 1950s, only to be banned in 1973.

Julie won her fight against cancer, with help from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, but it was a constant reminder to Schanstra of the potential effects of chemicals used in the environment.

*Jim Schanstra says his Organic Safe Lawns technicians go beyond just fertilizing grass — they will check your plants for health and your irrigation system to make sure it’s properly functioning.*

In 2006, just before a scheduled sales meeting with an organic fertilizer manufacturer, Schanstra says that one of the associates said that he’d read a recent news article that claimed Florida was using more chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides on residential properties than the rest of the United States combined.

“That statement hit me like a lightning bolt,” Schanstra says. “It was in that moment that I decided to do something about it. That was the conception of Organic Safe Lawns.”

In January of 2010, Organic Safe Lawns, Inc., became a Florida corporation.

“When I started out, that was my big, hard sell: how do I tell people we can really do it?,” he says. “If we can grow fruits and vegetables organically, why can’t we grow grass that way? That was the concept in my mind.”

Schanstra works closely with one of the top organic fertilizer manufacturers and pioneers of the industry. The products — fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides — used by Schanstra and Organic Safe Lawns are certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute or OMRI, an independent testing company that certifies organic products. He says the products use a proven technology that was originally designed for fruits and vegetables, although Organic Safe Lawns deals strictly with lawns and ornamental plants.

Trademarked Products

Organic Safe Lawns, Inc., has now designed and manufactured more than 30 different organic fertilizer products of its own that are owned and trademarked by the corporation.

While most typical fertilizers are made up of synthesized chemicals, Schanstra says the products he uses are mostly mined from the shale level of the earth, where healthier and more acidic soil exists. There are richer supplies of micronutrients, enzymes and bacteria found in this soil than in other fertilizers.

“There’s no downside with our fertilizers,” Schanstra says.

Other lawn companies also use mined products, but they are converted into a granular form — those little balls you see in your grass after the lawn company has stopped by — by incorporating binders and fillers to keep their shape. That’s where Schanstra says carcinogens are often entered into the mixture.

“Once those little balls dissolve, those chemicals end up running off into our aquifers, which are sometimes only a foot or two deep below, and can get into our water, streams and ponds and cause algae blooms,” Schanstra says.

Typical fertilizers come in two types of encapsulation. The first is water-based, meaning the fertilizer is released by coming into contact with water. The second is a polymer, or plastic encapsulation. Its releasing agent is heat.

Schanstra says those forms of release may be fine for more moderate northern climates. However, Florida’s famously erratic weather — sometimes too much rain and often too much heat — can sometimes cause the release of a month’s worth of fertilizer in a week or even a day.

Using chemical fertilizers and pesticides may lead to greener lawns — due to their higher concentrations of nitrogen — but they also can lead to the same typical lawn problems so common here in Florida. These problems include fungus and disease, chinch bugs, webworms and mole crickets, all of which are often found in high-nitrogen soils.

“We found that by reducing the nitrogen level (in the products Organic Safe Lawns uses), we almost eliminate fungus and pests,” Schanstra says. “The cheapest way to get green grass is with high-nitrogen fertilizer.”

Schanstra also says that high-nitrogen fertilizers push top growth and weaken root structure. Over time, the lawn’s root system can’t sustain the foliage.

“A weakened root structure is like candy to bugs,” Schanstra says. “After using our treatment, you’ll see the bugs moving over into the neighbor’s yard.”

Chemical-based fertilizers are designed to be absorbed through the leaf (called foliar absorption). All of the organic fertilizers that Schanstra uses are absorbed through the roots. And, he adds, they are all water-soluble liquids that are safe for pets, wildlife and humans.

“When we apply organic fertilizers, we’re spraying that into the soil,” he says. “The only way the plant absorbs it is into the root system. My grass will grow a little bit slower, but my roots will be stronger.”

Top-coated lawns treated with synthetic pesticides and herbicides puts people and pets in danger. Why do you think people applying pesticides wear rubber boots? Because, Schanstra says, they don’t want to get any of the application on them.

In that case, he adds, why would you want you, your children or your pets to track that into your house?

“The dog goes over into the neighbor’s yard to pee, and they’re chewing on their paws when they get back,” Schanstra says. “Kids crawl around and play on the grass and absorb it when they walk in it.”

The chemical herbicide Atrazine is still used widely across the U.S. and Florida to prevent pre- and post-emergence of broadleaf weeds, especially during the summer. It was found by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases (ATSDR) to have adverse effects on the endocrine systems of mammals and that it likely also contributes to some birth defects.

“A lot of lawn companies will blanket your yard with Atrazine,” Schanstra says. “It costs just five dollars for a 600-gallon mix. They use it because it’s cheap.”’

But, Organic Safe Lawns’ technicians offer a safer chemical solution for weed control, which is spot-treated throughout the year. It isn’t as cheap as Atrazine, he says, but generally, the stronger root system his lawns have developed lead to fewer weeds anyway.

“We are about the process and the materials,” Schanstra says, “as opposed to using harmful chemicals with regard to weed control.”

Schanstra says he recommends treatment every 30 days, and that it isn’t any more expensive than hiring the lawn care chains. He said he also works with his customers to ensure they are watering and mowing their lawns correctly — two extremely important ways to keep your lawn in tip-top shape that are often overlooked and under-appreciated.

Organic Safe Lawns, Inc., services homes in Tampa, New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes. For additional information, call (813) 393-9665, email organicsafelawns@verizon.net or visit OrganicSafeLawns.com.

organic safe lawns

Dr. Rosh Opens Her Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute

With champagne flowing and a big smile as she cut a ribbon with the North Tampa Bay Chamber, Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves officially opened her Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute on S.R. 54 in Lutz on July 16.

“Dr. Rosh,” as her patients call her, came home to the Tampa Bay area with her husband, Dr. Corey Reeves, and their baby daughter after completing a fellowship and practicing at Duke University in Durham, NC.

As an attending physician, she says she enjoyed interacting with residents and medical students, being in academics and mentoring in the operating room and clinic, but was looking for something more.

“For 10 years I’ve been talking about opening a private practice, and now it’s finally here,” she said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I have a vision for my own practice and I want to execute that.”

Dr. Rosh earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and Biomedical Sciences from USF, too.

Then, she completed her ophthalmology residency at the USF Eye Institute and an oculofacial and reconstructive fellowship at the Duke Eye Center. She is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

“I want to be part of this community for a really long time,” Dr. Rosh says. “I want patients to grow with me for 30 years. I want to be easy to call and be available to the community.”

At her Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute, which hosted its first Open House two days after the ribbon-cutting event, Dr. Rosh sees patients who want cosmetic services to improve the look of their eyes, faces, and skin.

“It’s aesthetics, but it’s also functional,” Dr. Rosh says. “I want to help people see better and feel better, too.”

Some patients receive insurance-based services, typically after being referred to Dr. Rosh by their primary care doctor or dermatologist. For example, some patients need surgery or treatment to restore the function of their eyes, for conditions such as droopy lids, eyelid malposition, thyroid eye disease, tear duct surgery or reconstruction after cancer surgery.

Others receive aesthetic treatments, such as lower lid surgery, laser skin resurfacing, ear lobe repairs, upper lip lifts, photofacials and laser peels.

Dr. Rosh says that even functional surgeries often result in patients not only being able to see better and feel better, but also have a nice aesthetic look when they are done.

“The functional and cosmetic sides blend together a lot,” says Dr. Rosh, “like if patients do upper lid surgery through their insurance but then decide they want lower lid and skin resurfacing, too.”

And, she says her cosmetic patients typically also want to look refreshed — or like a better version of themselves — but not change how they look.

“I love that, because our face is how we identify ourselves,” she says.

Dr. Rosh believes that interest in cosmetic services has really increased because of the changes in how we interact with each other since the Covid pandemic.

(Dr. Rosh performs laser resurfacing on patient Melanie Aydt.

“With everything being virtual through Zoom and WebEx, people see themselves on a screen a lot more than before,” she says. “They come in earlier for treatments, and they don’t have the downtime that they used to.”

And, she says she’s happy to help those patients with a treatment plan that helps them recover as quickly as possible to resume normal life, and look a bit younger and refreshed, but still like themselves.

Available treatments include full-service, minimally-invasive procedures, such as photofacials, which require no downtime, and help to get rid of red and brown spots or patches on the skin, including helping patients with rosacea.

“If you only have a weekend to heal,” she says, “then we plan accordingly.”

When she does surgery, either in her office or at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, she uses a carbon dioxide laser for incisions. She refers to it as her “magic wand” and says it makes very precise incisions, which helps minimize both bleeding and recovery time.

“I love surgery,” Dr. Rosh says. “This is such a unique field, because everyone’s anatomy is a little different, so recovery is different, and their story as to why they want to get it done is different. So I get to be creative.”

Treating Every Skin Type

Dr. Rosh also emphasizes that the lasers in her office are able to treat patients of all different skin tones and types.

“Our culture is becoming more of a melting pot and, usually, laser treatments can lead to more pigmentations,” she says, “but the lasers I have get great results on patients of all different skin types.”

Three experienced staff members help Dr. Rosh keep the practice running smoothly. Jennifer is the office manager, Kara is a technician and aesthetician, and Lisa handles the front desk and insurance.

Dr. Mary Mercer was one of Dr. Rosh’s first patients when Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute opened in July.

Dr. Mercer says she knew Dr. Rosh from when the two were in residency training together.

“I was impressed with her fellowship training at Duke,” says Dr. Mercer. “When I heard she was returning, I was excited both personally and also for our community, to have such a well-trained doctor in the area.”

She says she was pleased with the entire experience, from the convenient location, to the helpful staff, and the procedure itself.

“It was a very professional environment, and I was happy that everyone is female,” says Dr. Mercer. “It’s very comfortable for female patients, very welcoming, and it’s great to support our fellow female professionals.”

Dr. Mercer says the service she received was excellent, the exam was efficient, and both Dr. Rosh’s expertise and the clinical results she has experienced have been impressive.

Speaking of impressive, at the office’s Open House on July 18, Dr. Rosh gave away a number of free services, including a Grand Prize of free Botox for a year to local resident Ravi Patel.

Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves’ Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute is located in the same building as the Medi-Weightloss Center at 24420 S.R. 54 in Lutz. For appointments and more information, including information about the office’s Grand Opening specials, call (813) 303-0123 or visit DoctorRosh.com.

cosmetic surgery Oculofacial Surgery

Partners In Green — Teamwork Creates Curb Appeal

*Partners in Green says they can get your lawn that special shade of green with their high-quality products and eliminating problems before they become too big.*

Roy Harris and Alex Kocker know all about the big business of lawn care. In fact, it’s how they met, and decided to start their own company, Partners in Green, in 2014.

Prior to that, both men worked for different companies. But, when those companies merged, Harris and Kocker actually became office mates.

“We became friends,” Harris says, “and then we started talking about the things we would do if we started our own business. We were like, ‘Hey man, we can do this job just as good or better than what people were doing and offering at the time.’ That’s what made us decide to go into business together.”

Located in New Tampa, Partners in Green now has more than 1,000 clients and, despite that growth, is still run like a small business. Harris and Kocker now have seven employees — five field technicians, one sales and marketing employee and an administrator — and continue to attract new customers eager for better lawn care.

“We just felt like if we bring good customer service, use high quality products, don’t cut corners, are honest and try to protect people’s investments, we would be able to take a step above the rest of the competition,” Harris says.

While volume is a crucial for the larger companies, Harris says focusing on doing thorough work and building their business through word of mouth and is the key to their growth. That personal touch is where they felt they could compete in a highly competitive, nearly $100-billion industry.

“We have been very happy with their services,” says customer Joanna Brown. “The regular monthly technician is knowledgeable and takes great care in his work. We recently had some challenges with the lawn and they took care of fixing things quickly.”

Partners in Green focuses on what Harris says the company does best —fertilizing your lawn, shrubs and trees while keeping the pests at bay. It leaves the lawn cutting and tree trimming to other companies.

“We won’t change,” Harris says. “We’ll stay with this concept because it’s been working. It’s what we do.”

Some of the services Partners in Green offers include:

• Fungus control

• Pre- & post-emergent weed treatments

• Chinch bug and general insect control

• Granular lawn, shrub & palm fertilization

• General insect control

• Spraying of beds & pavement weeds

When it comes to fertilizing lawns and administering herbicides, Harris says every precaution is taken. His technicians are appropriately protected and clients are kept abreast of the applications and when children and pets can be allowed to get back on the lawn.

“We follow only the Best Management Practices (BMP),” Harris says. According to the Partners in Green website, the BMP is a guide produced jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and the University of Florida, to name a few.

Partners in Green does not use banned chemicals or provide services outside of what is recommended in the BMP guidelines.

Partners in Green, named for the expected relationship between the company and the customer — “it can be a team effort,” Harris says — also will take care to treat your yard only when it is needed. The company’s technicians use only the amount of fertilizer, herbicide and insecticide recommended by the manufacturer, and will not douse a yard in an effort to complete a job more quickly.

Many times, a spot treatment at the beginning of a fungus outbreak or a budding insect invasion is all that’s required.

“We make sure to use only the treatment on the area (where) it’s needed,” Harris says. “And, we make sure everything we use is safe. We’re very careful not to contaminate any water supply or make anyone sick.”

Partners in Green offers free estimates, and will work with each customer to identify their lawn care needs.

And, the company won’t hesitate to recommend another course of action for your lawn. Honesty is a big part of what Harris says helps keep customers happy.

Sometimes, lawns are so overridden with weeds that spraying won’t help them. If Partners in Green can’t turn the lawn around, the company won’t take the job or your money. In times like those, the technician might suggest getting your irrigation system fixed or your yard re-sodded first. “Then, give us a call back, and we can help preserve that,” Harris says.

Of course, the No. 1 tip Harris suggests for keeping your lawn, shrubs and trees healthy is water, water, water.

“If you really want to maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn, you have to water the lawn the proper way,” he says. “Make sure the irrigation system is up to par, all of the zones are running properly and efficiently, and that everything is getting enough water — but not too much water.”

If all that is done, Partners in Green can do the rest, with treatments that can stop emerging problems in their tracks. Issues, like crabgrass, can be dealt with using pre-emergent treatments and pesky and painful fire ants can be treated by applications that can protect you for a year.

In between treatments, Partners in Green will be there to deal with any problems as well.

“In our industry, at the end of the day, all companies are trying to make money and be successful, and believe me we have the same goals as well,” Harris says. “We just feel we do it a little differently. The quality of work is important to us. The customer service is important to us. That’s why we’re growing.”

Watergrass resident Frank Santarelli and his wife Jessica are among the company’s satisfied customers. “We genuinely don’t have enough good things to say about Partners in Green! We tried 5 different companies before we finally found Partners in Green – our only regret is that we didn’t find them sooner! Every other company would show up spray some generic formula and leave never really caring about the health or condition of our yard or landscaping. One company even cost us thousands in sod replacement because they simply weren’t treating our yard properly.

For more information about Partners in Lawn lawn care or to get a free estimate, visit PartnersinGreenFL.com or call (813) 451-7330.