DeWitt Company Celebrates 40 Years in the Industry
Forty years ago, Larry DeWitt worked as a landscaper during his senior year in college. What he didn’t know at the time was how he would pioneer the use of landscape fabric and change the future of the industry forever. After graduating with a degree in horticulture, he launched DeWitt Landscaping, a landscape design and contracting firm. In 1975, DeWitt expanded the operation and opened DeWitt Landscaping & Garden Center, a full service garden center from design to build.
As business grew he also started a re-wholesale division. In 1977, DeWitt was searching for a material to stop weeds and increase plant growth without the use of harmful chemicals. At the time, black plastic was a landscaper’s only option. From hands-on experience, he knew that while plastic stops weeds, it also blocks out moisture and air. The result: disease, fungus and rot.
“I was using black plastic for weed control in rock gardens and I saw the effects of the suffocated soil,” said Larry DeWitt. “I turned this problem into an opportunity by producing the first-ever permeable landscaped fabric that allowed air and water through. Hence the birth of the DeWitt Company.”
DeWitt experimented with textiles and materials until finally hitting pay dirt. He discovered that woven polypropylene did everything he wanted and his new landscape fabric, later dubbed DeWitt Weed Barrier changed the professional landscaping industry. Pros quickly realized what an outstanding product it was for stopping weeds and also for promoting tremendous growth. They couldn’t get enough. As a result, DeWitt products are used in more than 70% of the commercial landscaping done throughout the United States. DeWitt landscaping products and plant fabrics are the number one choice of professionals in the lawn and garden industry.
“My life and passion became my career with a mission to always strive for a better tomorrow,” said DeWitt. Since 1974, DeWitt Company has made a serious commitment to the lawn and garden industry by introducing new products, improving existing products, and developing innovative merchandising solutions. Celebrating 40 years in business, DeWitt Company believes that the future of the industry is not only bright, but also beaming with opportunities to grow, learn and evolve. “We didn’t invent the wheel and we didn’t reinvent it either,” said Larry DeWitt, founder.
“We found our inspiration out of our concern for the environment and have continued to create lines of lawn and garden products that are not only innovative, but also dedicated to our philosophy of promoting environmentally responsible products.” Today, DeWitt offers over 600 products in 14 comprehensive product categories and operates out of a 300,000 square-foot facility which is centrally located in Sikeston, Missouri.
By continually investing in state-of-the-art technology and equipment, DeWitt is able to consistently provide the highest quality products. DeWitt’s high-performance quality products save time and are environmentally safe for the responsible homeowner.
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