Prettier yards, less water, organically pest-free—sounds like Make It Better mojo to us.
Enter the FertiGator, a company led by Wilmette resident Craig Lashmet, a landscaping care system that claims to produce lush flowers and lawns while repelling mosquitoes and other pests with natural irritants like garlic powder and white pepper. Even better, manufacturers say it reduces watering by about 50 percent.
So, the mojo actually belongs to FertiGator: The company uses homeowners’ sprinkler systems to apply small amounts of Mojo (no, we’re not making this up), an organic pest repellent that contains the fertilizer, a recently patented wonder substance called humectant. Humectant helps plant roots absorb water from the air. A recent University of Florida study found that humectant produced greener grass using 50 percent less water.
Lashmet has cashed out as CEO of enough businesses not to worry too seriously about finding a job, but a few years ago, a former boss called and asked him to write a business plan for FertiGator.
“The more I learned and the more I wrote, the more excited I became,” he says. “I called him back and asked to become majority owner and CEO.”
“People like to talk about being environmentally conscious, but they don’t want to work at it,” Lashmet says. “FertiGator makes your life easier.”
The pest repellent does not kill the mosquitos, ants, rabbits, gophers and other creatures that vacate FertiGatored premises. They are just kept at a distance by the organic, irritating substances, he says, promising that humans and pets won’t notice a thing.
Each year Americans spend more than $6 billion on traditional fertilizers—chemical pellets periodically spread over a lawn. Runoff washes away the chemicals, which often end up polluting other locations. In contrast, you won’t lose your Mojo: The minute amounts applied through FertiGation are quickly absorbed. (In other words, Mojo no go beyond your yard-o.)
FertiGator operates by adding a small apparatus to existing sprinkler systems and initial installation fees range between $300 and $500. FertiGator also maintains the system, offering homeowners what is billed as effortless environmental improvement. To find out more, visit the Web site.
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