Cultivated

Eric Behunin

Cultivated podcast is a series by SmartYard & Horticultural Group that explores how automation, sustainability, and smart technology are transforming the way we care for landscapes — from city parks and sports fields to backyard gardens and beyond.

Episodes

  1. 31/10/2025

    Rooted in Innovation

    In this episode of Cultivated, host Eric Behunin shares his family’s rich history spanning three generations in the horticultural industry. It begins with the innovations of his grandfather who mastered the art of preserving trees, including the still-standing specimens on Temple Square and at the Utah State Capitol. His father carried the legacy forward, adding lighting innovations to their repertoire and serving prominent Utah landmarks. Today, Eric Behunin is continuing their innovative journey by incorporating technology into horticulture. His firm, Horticultural Group, is pioneering the adoption of robotic technology for large scale landscape maintenance, thereby reducing labor costs and environmental impact. Through hands-on training and comprehensive strategies, the Horticultural Group is helping guide the industry through this significant transition towards automation.

    6 min

  2. 12/05/2025

    Rewriting the Rulebook: Smarter Landscapes for Smarter Cities

    In the Cultivated podcast, hosted by Eric Behunin, they discuss the outdated methods of handling city landscaping contracts and how the Horticultural Group is addressing the need for innovation in the industry. They explore the importance of detailed, automation-ready specifications that are adapted to a property's specific requirements. The Horticultural Group also helps cities and property owners by creating professional, competitive bid packages that attract modern contractors, provide staff training, and create transition plans to operational shifts. By effectively utilizing automation, they claim that cities could save significantly on labor, water, fuel, and equipment costs. The podcast teaches about the multitude of services the Horticultural Group can provide, from site analysis and bid package engineering to contractor vetting and staff integration plans, and encourages potential clients to reach out to them for a more efficient, sustainable, and automated future in property management.

    4 min

  3. 03/05/2025

    Contract Smarter, Not Harder: The Turning Point for Landscape Contractors

    In the Cultivated podcast, hosted by Eric Behunin, the trying challenges of the landscape industry are explored - from thin margins and unreliable labor to overwhelming burnout. Yet, Behunin assures listeners that the key to overcoming these issues lies within systems, automation, and AI tools. Through a series of business solutions proposed by HortGroup, Behunin explains how contractors can shift their businesses from survival mode to scalable, system-driven success. By automating repetitive tasks such as mowing and irrigation, restructuring contracts to be performance-based, and integrating AI-tools for streamlined client communication, efficiency, and control, businesses can break free from chaos. The benefits of partnering with HortGroup include property assessments for automation readiness, contract rewrites focusing on results, robotic system installs, and the implementation of front-end AI tools. Behunin emphasizes that these pioneering solutions aid businesses in confidently navigating the rapidly-evolving landscape industry, winning bids, and scaling their businesses without stress.

    3 min

  4. 30/04/2025

    Modern Cemeteries: Quiet, Clean, and Automated

    In this episode of "Cultivated", Eric Behunin discusses automating the operations of American cemeteries to be sustainable yet respectful. This includes addressing the common issues faced by cemeteries, such as noise sensitivity and high maintenance costs. Horticultural Group offers a six-phase system, the "Modern Groundskeeping Framework", designed for the transition of manual maintenance in cemeteries to a fully automated and cost-efficient one. This framework involves site audits, creating a blueprint of the new plan, training existing staff to handle automated technologies, proper installation of devices, oversight of installed systems, and supportive assistance even after the installation is complete. Behunin emphasizes that this system allows the cemetery tradition to be honored while modernizing operations.

    5 min

  5. 28/04/2025

    Quiet Innovation: How Automation is Reshaping Cemetery Care

    In this episode of Cultivated, host Eric Behunin talks about the challenges municipalities face in maintaining their cemeteries, and how the city of Taylorsville turned to automated solutions for help. Through a pilot program with SmartYard, the city introduced robotic mowers into its cemetery maintenance routine. The benefits of automation were immediately apparent: the robots significantly improved mowing consistency, reduced physical strain on city workers, and helped save on labor costs. The public's response was overwhelmingly positive, and the application of automation in this context respected the sacred nature of the grounds. The success of this initiative has broader lessons for the field of cemetery care, emphasizing that automation doesn't replace human care but rather enhances it, and, with proper planning, can greatly assist in the maintenance of sacred grounds. Looking ahead, there's huge potential for further innovation via the use of smart sensors and drones.

    4 min

  6. 25/04/2025

    Public Green Spaces: Automate or Fall Behind

    The inaugural episode of Cultivated, hosted by Eric Behunin, founder of SmartYard and the Horticultural Group, places its focus squarely on the maintenance of public green spaces and the need for modern cities to embrace automation in their landscaping approaches. Recognizing the problems inherent in the traditional landscape maintenance model, such as escalating costs and the ongoing struggle to maintain pristine green spaces with limited manpower, Eric argues for the inevitability of automation and presents various real-world cases where it has significantly improved efficiency. Drawing on his wealth of professional experience, he offers insights on how cities and other public entities can begin to implement automation in their landscape maintenance procedures, highlighting the role that his Horticultural Group can play in guiding this transition. By rejecting the outdated playbook and embracing automation, Eric contends, public green spaces can be managed more effectively and sustainably.

    5 min

  7. 25/04/2025

    Don’t Let the Robot Mow You Over: What Homeowners Need to Know Before Buying

    The Cultivated podcast, hosted by Eric Behunin, covers the unique topic of wireless robotic mowers in the episode titled, "Don't Let the Robot Mow You Over." Behunin dives deep into the new-age RTK GPS mowers which work without wires, using satellite-guided mapping for a cleaner, efficient and adaptable lawn maintenance. The podcast also emphasizes the necessity of professional installation for flawless operation and full property coverage. He answers common questions around these mowers’ capabilities, addressing Wi-Fi requirements, safety concerns for kids and pets, and portability. He further discusses their cost and long-term value by comparing their price with traditional professional mow crews, indicating a quick break-even point. The podcast concludes with a quick checklist for homeowners considering a robotic mower, underlining the importance of professional advice and buying from trusted brands. SmartYard

    4 min

  8. 24/04/2025

    Modernizing Your Landscape Business for 2025 and Beyond

    In this episode of Cultivated, host Eric Behunin addresses landscape contractors directly, discussing the modernization of landscape businesses for the future. He acknowledges common issues like labour shortages, increasing fuel costs, client demands, and more, then presents solutions in the form of automation and sustainable practices. The podcast puts forward the possibilities of robotic mowers, electric equipment, data for route optimization, drones for irrigation checks, and training programs for efficient working. Additionally, Eric mentions the services Horticultural Group offers to support this transition, from integrating automation to building service schedules for winning bids. The episode emphasizes building resilience in business through modern tools, systems and support, promising smoother operations without additional complexities. Home - HortGroup

    5 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Cultivated podcast is a series by SmartYard & Horticultural Group that explores how automation, sustainability, and smart technology are transforming the way we care for landscapes — from city parks and sports fields to backyard gardens and beyond.

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Behunin
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Horticultural Group Inc
  • Show Website
    Cultivated