Lush landscapes carpeted in Kentucky Bluegrass are fading away as fast as the Rockies hope of winning a World Series anytime soon. Legislation signed recently by Colorado governor Jared Polis prohibits the installation of nonfunctional turf, invasive plants and artificial turf on most commercial and industrial property in Colorado. The ban includes medians, parking lots and along roads and is effective Jan. 1, 2026. The same ban on state government property starts a year earlier in 2025. Residential property is exempt for the time being except for land managed by homeowners’ associations, which is considered commercial property.

This legislation is statewide, but local governments have already begun to enact similar rules on their own. Aurora, Colorado’s third-largest city, recently banned certain uses of grass and turf in new developments and offers rebates for replacing turf with water-saving landscaping. Denver and other cities are looking at turf grass regulation as well—both voluntary and mandatory—and will likely follow Aurora’s lead.

What This Means for Landscaping Contractors

The goal of the legislation is to reduce water consumption for turf and landscape irrigation, and further restrictions may follow on its heels. That means a shift in landscape design for new construction and renovations to feature drought-resistant plants and more hardscaping, both of which can cause a change in the type of work trucks landscaping contractors need in their fleets.

Tons of low-water landscaping materials like boulders, river rock, and gravel will be needed. And that will take plenty of trucks to move it around.

O.J. Watson Has the Trucks for the Job

At O.J. Watson Equipment, we’re ready to help you meet that changing demand with trucks designed to add efficiency and versatility to your landscaping business. Whether you need platform trucks for hauling landscaping equipment and boulders to job sites, dump bodies for sand and gravel, utility vans, or plain ol’ pickups, O.J. Watson Equipment is ready to get you rolling. We’re experts in all trucks and equipment to handle landscaping and construction jobs, from the smallest lawns and gardens to huge parks and sports complexes. We have the largest choice of work truck suppliers in the region. You have a need, we have a solution, even if it means designing, building, and installing modifications to suit your individual situation.

And with 30 top-notch mechanics in our Denver and Greeley shops, backed by a huge parts inventory, we service, repair, and replace parts and equipment to keep you productive through the coming warmer weather. Our suppliers are the most trusted brands in the business, and since we build custom trucks, we have more brands and varieties of parts and equipment available than other dealers.

OJ is the OG in Work Trucks

O.J. Watson has been building and maintaining trucks from pickups to large workhorses for over 100 years, so you can be sure you're getting the finest designs and equipment backed up by OEM parts and superior service. With facilities in Denver and Greeley, we’re easy to get to from all Front Range and rural Colorado locations.

Whatever specialized truck and truck equipment you require, from large to small, O.J. Watson is proudly prepared to handle it.

So don’t wait for the early birds to get that worm. Learn more now about our vast selection of landscaping trucks and our other many products and services on our website: ojwatson.com.