On this week’s EarthWorks Podcast, Joel Simmons talks with Scott McLean, Plant Healthcare Business Developer for Northeast Operations at The Davey Tree Expert Company.
Like many turf professionals, Scott didn’t begin his career with a clear roadmap. After taking a job at a local golf course, he quickly fell in love with the turf industry. He spent twelve years in golf course management, earned his turf degree from University of Massachusetts Amherst, and built a strong foundation in traditional turf management. But as family priorities changed, Scott began looking for a career path that offered a better work-life balance while still keeping him connected to the industry he loved.
That search led him into lawn care, where he initially followed conventional high-synthetic fertilizer programs. Over time, however, he began questioning whether there was a better approach. After speaking with a local golf course superintendent about organic fertilizers, he discovered EarthWorks and started experimenting with carbon-based fertility programs on his own lawn.
What he saw changed everything. His lawn developed a darker, richer green color, stayed greener later into the fall, and greened up earlier in the spring. But the moment that truly convinced him came during a late winter thaw, when the snow melted off his lawn days before it disappeared from neighboring properties receiving traditional fertilizer programs.
Today, Scott is a strong believer in Biological Soil Management and carbon-based fertility. He believes the lawn care industry is shifting away from high-input, ala carte service models toward more efficient flat-fee programs that reduce inputs, lower labor and fuel costs, and improve profitability, all while producing healthier lawns and happier clients. This is a conversation about changing industry philosophies, building better soil, and the future of lawn care.
