MENULandscape design is typically done in winter and spring. That makes it difficult to determine which plants in your current landscape should be kept, moved, or removed and replaced. Images of your landscape now can provide you and your designer with guidelines for planning changes during a snowy winter.
Summer is a good time to take photos of your entire landscape. All plants have leaves and many are in bloom at this time. The photos will show your landscape designer, and remind you, how the landscape looks in season. Take plenty of photos, including close-ups of specimen plants and those flowering, cover shots of each planting bed and long shots from different angles for an overview of the whole property.It would also be nice to identify each plant. The simplest way is to sketch each planting bed and draw a circle for each plant and print the common and the scientific name inside the plant or in the margin with a line connecting the name with the plant. If you don’t know the names, you can select one of our landscape designers for your project now and they can do the photography and plant identification.The thought of having to draw a sketch frightens many people. With digital cameras and photo manipulation, you can actually turn this into a fun project. Hopefully, you’ve saved the nursery tags for each plant. Photograph the plants and take a close-up of the tag and, using your photo manipulation program, put the tag shots into the plant photo as an inset.Even if you aren’t planning to renovate your landscape in the near future, photographing and identifying all the plants is a good idea. You never know when our unpredictable weather will turn ugly and unleash a damaging storm upon us. Should that happen, you’ll have documentation for your insurance and casualty loss claims.Your landscape contributes to the overall value of your home, and each plant has a value of its own, as well as contributing to the overall property value. The value of annuals, perennials and shrubs is based on replacement cost. Lawn value is based on the cost of repair or replacement. Large trees, however, can’t be replaced. Their value has to be determined by a certified arborist using one of several valuation methods. The bottom line is determined by how much damage to the landscape, as well as the house and other structures, reduces the total value of the property.Keeping a photographic inventory of the plants in your landscape, and updating it as the plants grow or your plant palette changes, can be a great resource when needed. But it can also be a fun summer project when the dog days of summer make your green thumb itch.
How did your tulips and daffodils grow this spring? Did they come up the way you planted them or were they more crowded than in previous years? If they were too crowded, you can easily dig the bulbs up, divide them and replant them.[caption id="attachment_1197" align="alignleft" width="225"]
Although less attractive, these leaves shouldn’t be cut off until they turn brown.[/caption]After the plants have completely died back, remove the brown leaves and stems and dig up the bulbs. If you don’t want a random color pattern, it’s best to put each color bulb in a separate container.The bulbs that you dug up may have grown new segments, which are causing the crowding. They will look similar to onions that have grown baby onions off the main bulb or like some houseplants that grow offshoots, aka pups.Rinse the soil off the bulbs and carefully remove the new segments, or offshoots, from the bulbs. They are then ready to replant. Since the new segment will probably produce shorter, smaller flowers than the parent, give some thought to how you want to replant them. Remember, the objective of this exercise is to relieve crowding so they won’t all go back in the same space they came out of.Some points to consider:• Do you care whether the plants are a variety of heights when they grow next spring? If you don’t care, mix some the pups with some parent bulbs when replanting. Otherwise, replant the parents in the original bed and the pups in a new bed.• The parent plant may be a hybrid, which means that the offshoot may look like the parent from which you removed it, or it could look like the other parent, or it could look completely different. Consequently, it could be a completely different color and even a different shape. If you are fine with that possibility, go ahead and plant a mixture of parents and pups in both the old bed and the new bed. If not, plant them in separate beds and see what comes up in the offshoot bed next season.If the summer is hot when you divide the bulbs, label the container(s) with type of plants and their colors and store them in a cool, dry place until the weather cools down. If your weather is consistently cooler than a normal summer where you live, it’s OK to replant now.Plant both the parents and the pups the same way you would plant a new bulb. Plunge a trowel or bulb planter into the soil. Pull the trowel to you or lift up the planter with its plug of soil. Place one bulb in the hole with the hairy, root side down and the pointy side up. Carefully backfill. It’s OK to spread some bulb fertilizer on the ground around the bulb and water it in. Then wait until next spring and see what pops up.
The soil in the Rochester (NY) area is known for its high clay content, and clay isn’t the best soil for lawns. But it’s what we have so we may have to take extra steps to grow healthy grass.Clay soil is very dense and compacts easily, making it difficult for water and oxygen to reach plant roots. It’s difficult for them to penetrate the soil and there are few pockets between soil particles to store water and oxygen. The answer is to aerify.
Aerifying involves pulling plugs of soil out of the ground so that the rest of the soil can “breathe.” The holes where the plugs were provide points of entry for water and oxygen. Eventually the soil spreads out and fills in the aerifying holes as people walk and play on the lawn. However, the soil is still loose enough to provide space for water and oxygen storage. This process may have to be repeated every year or two for a healthy lawn.It’s been suggested that homeowners mow the lawn wearing golf shoes. That’s one of those ideas that’s too good to be true. Golf shoe cleats are too short and thin to penetrate the soil enough to do any good. Professionals use aerifying machines.Core aerators are the most effective, and the type our lawn care professionals use. They have a rotor of hollow tines that are pushed deep into the soil. The tines pull up plugs of soil about an inch in diameter, and deposit them on the lawn surface. The plugs should be left in place to decompose naturally and return their nutrients to the soil.Do-it-yourselfers can rent aerators at rental stores. Be forewarned, however, that they are heavy and difficult to use. Most of our customers who have tried it once turn the job over to our lawn care professionals the next time.Dethatching is often mentioned in the same breath as aerifying. However, they are two different processes. Dethatching is necessary only when dead grass plants become entangled in the turf. A dethatching machine has tines that reach into the turf and pull the dead plants out and lay them on the lawn surface. Contrary to popular belief, thatch is not grass clippings. Grass clippings decompose quickly and return nutrients to the soil. You are doing the lawn a favor when you just let them lay where they fall when you mow.If you don’t know whether your lawn needs aerifying or dethatching, one of our lawn care professionals would by happy to check your lawn and make recommendations for its care.
As we start spending more and more time outdoors, please consider using these items that I call, collectively, an outdoor survival kit.• Wide brimmed hat. I know baseball caps are fashionable and more comfortable than wide brim hats but baseball caps leave your ears and the back of your neck unprotected from the sun's rays. Dermatologists point out that the skin cancer and precancerous lesions they remove now have been a long time in the making. They may have gotten their start when you were a sun worshipping teenager or even younger. Wearing a hat now may stunt their development.• Sunscreen. There's not much that I can add to the media stories and ads about the importance of sunscreen.
Going out in the sun, even overcast sun, without slathering up is tempting fate.• Sunglasses. Besides sun glare being uncomfortable, it also may be contributing to another significant, deferred health problem. Ophthalmologists will tell you that the sun's rays can exacerbate cataracts and macular degeneration. This may not show symptoms until your later years.• Cell phone. You never know when you may need to call for help, regardless of age or physical condition. If you are at an age and in physical condition that you use a medical alert device, take that with you, too.• Long pants and long sleeve shirt. This is predicted to be a banner year for ticks and mosquitoes. The best protection is to wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt when doing yard work. Tuck the pant legs into socks or boots because ticks are ground insects. They don't fly but they can crawl up your pant legs and bite your skin. It's also a good idea to apply a repellant containing the chemical DEET. Covering up will also protect you from the sun.• Water. Hydration is most important when working outdoors. Hydration is a major key to good health. Dehydration can affect your kidneys and your balance. Identify a nice, cool spot in your landscape where you can take frequent rest breaks. Be sure there's plenty of water there so you can rehydrate every time you take a break.Working in our yard should be fun but it can be sheer drudgery if you haven't taken the precautions listed above to protect yourself from the elements – in this case, the sun and harmful insects. The worst part of not protecting yourself from the sun is that problems may not show up for decades.The amount of enjoyment you'll have outdoors this summer will depend on how you approach it. Using everything in your survival kit will help it to be more enjoyable, despite summer heat and humidity.
June and July are the best months in which to prune evergreens. That's when new growth forms. However, like everything in nature, there are no absolutes, no definitive dates to start pruning.New growth forms at the ends of branches. When the new needles or leaves first appear, they are a lighter green than the branches' mature needles or leaves (See Photo). When the new growth is complete, it darkens to the tree or shrub's normal color. This transformation isn't instantaneous. It happens over time.
Pruning is easiest when the new growth is finished elongating but before the color turns. Waiting for the new growth to elongate means you won't have to prune a second time, as you may with early pruning. Pruning before the new growth completely darkens in color will ease the amount of effort you'll have to exert to make each cut.Before you begin pruning, run your fingers over the light green needles and bend the branch. The needles should be nice and soft and the wood soft and pliable. Then check out the mature part of a branch. See how stiff and sharp the needles are and how firm the wood is? Which is the most tiring to cut?As with deciduous trees and shrubs, evergreens also should be pruned to meet pre-identified objectives. Do you want to:• Shape the plant?• Lower its height?• Raise the crown?• Open a vista?The objectives listed above are the same as those for deciduous plants. Use the same approach to pruning evergreen trees as deciduous trees. Turn the job over to our professional arborists. Conifers (cone bearers) can be even more dangerous than deciduous trees for the untrained climber. Their needles are sharper than leaves and their branches are more flexible than a deciduous tree. They also ooze a lot of sap, messing up clothes, skin and tools. The sharp needles can make reaching for the junction of a branch with the trunk very scratchy.Shrubs, on the other hand, are less dangerous but you need to take some of the same precautions as trees. I recommend wearing long sleeves and long pants if you have to reach into the sharp foliage to remove a branch. Be careful removing whole branches so you don't scratch yourself when removing them. Be careful when removing front facing branches that you don't leave a hole in the foliage. Needles don't go all the way in to the main stem(s). Don't leave branch stubs. On the plus side, shrub branch diameters tend to be smaller than tree branches so you can often use loppers and just reach in there and cut.Don't forget that our professional arborists can prune shrubs as well as trees, so you can turn the whole job over to them and not worry about whether you're doing the job safely or correctly.
Entomologists predict that we'll have a bumper crop of dangerous insects this summer. They are referring specifically to ticks and mosquitoes. Both of these insects carry diseases that are dangerous to people.[caption id="attachment_1189" align="alignleft" width="183"]
Photo Credit: Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org[/caption]Lyme disease is carried by deer ticks. While they are called deer ticks, they actually are carried by a number of animals, especially field mice, dogs and cats, who can then transfer the ticks to us. A tick bite looks like a red bulls eye, and usually occurs on the lower body, especially the legs. Lyme disease symptoms begin with fatigue, achy muscles and joints, headaches and swollen lymph nodes. As the disease progresses, symptoms include hearing, vision and memory problems, arthritis and numbness or tingling in your extremities.Ticks tend to hang out in brushy and wooded areas. Many are found along borders with lawns and landscaping. When venturing into those areas, it's recommended that you wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants, socks that are long enough to tuck your pant legs into or boots into which you can tuck your pant legs. Repellents containing DEET are also effective at keeping them away from you. Ticks can't fly but they are great hitchhikers, and they often eat while riding.You should check your pets when they come in from outside. If you see any ticks, remove them. Whether removing ticks from your pets or your own skin, don't squeeze them or try to pull them off by hand. Instead, using a pair of tweezers, grip them as close to the skin as possible and pull slowly upward. Ticks pierce the skin and suck blood. Their mouth parts are barbed so they aren't easy to pull off. Do it very slowly and carefully.In addition to being pesky, mosquitoes carry a variety of diseases, including malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus and others. If you see mosquitoes flying around or landing on you or your loved ones, dress as you would to repel ticks and use a mosquito repellent.Mosquitoes need standing, or stagnant, water in which to lay their eggs. Remove that and you will be less likely to have a mosquito problem. Stagnant water that attracts mosquitoes ranges from ponds to low spots in your yard that hold water after a rain. Even birdbaths are fair game for breeding mosquitoes. Emptying your birdbath frequently, cleaning it and filling it with fresh water will go a long way toward reducing the mosquito population on your property.Ticks and mosquitoes can ruin your summer, and even your life. But only if you let them. You may have to sacrifice a little comfort by wearing more clothes than you'd like but that's a small price to pay for your life and health.
Spring's spectacular display of color is coming to an end. Granted, later blooming plants will continue to show color to some extent but the green curtain will close on trees and shrubs like dogwoods, cherries, rhododendrons and lilacs. They will now be attractive foliage plants until next spring,.Throughout the winter and spring, I've been advising you to hold off pruning these plants until after they've finished blooming. Otherwise, you could inadvertently remove flower buds. Now it's OK to prune them. But don't prune just because it's OK to do so. Prune for a reason. Professional arborists always approach a pruning job with an objective in mind, and they communicate that objective to their whole crew.Are your trees and shrubs too thick? Then your pruning objective would be to thin them. Does their height need to be reduced? If that's the case, DON'T top or let anybody else top a tree. The result will be a weak, misshapen tree. Professional arborists have techniques for reducing tree height without distorting their shape.Other reasons for pruning may be because the tree or shrub is blocking a view. Shrubs planted in front of a house or too close to a house may grow too tall or spread out too much and block the curbside view of your house. In that case, the size of shrubs can be reduced. We can prune a tree obstructing the view of a house or oncoming traffic near the end of a driveway by removing the lower branches, also known as raising the crown.Pruning broken, hanging, dead, dying or rubbing branches can be done at any time. These branches are creating a hazard for people or property.In many situations, do-it-yourselfers can safely prune shrubs. The same standards apply to pruning shrubs as apply to trees. Don't remove more than a quarter of the foliage at one time. Make cuts only at branch forks or just above leaves. Don't leave stubs. Where feasible, cut branches at the base. Wear long sleeves and long pants. You can get very scratched up reaching into a thick shrub.Tree pruning isn't a do-it-yourself job, especially if you have to leave the ground. Never try to prune from a ladder. Tree limbs are heavier than you think and many of the injuries and deaths resulting from tree pruning are caused by falling branches, so never work above your head.Whether you have shrubs or trees to be pruned, professional arborists have the training, specialized equipment and experience to assess a situation and approach it from the safest perspective.
There are some things to do now to keep your lawn healthy during the long, hot summer. The temperatures are beginning to rise but we don't know how much rain to expect in July. If we don't get at least an inch of rain per week, or if you don't irrigate your lawn, it will turn brown and appear dead.Summer dormancy is nature's way of protecting your lawn. When the rains return and the temperature moderates in late August and early September, your grass will green up again. How much it greens up depends on how healthy the turf was before going dormant.
Before animals like bears hibernate, they binge eat to store the energy they need to sustain them through their hibernation period. Grass plants also need to store energy in their roots to sustain them through their dormancy. If you haven't fertilized your lawn yet this year, it should be done very soon to give the plants enough time to absorb the nutrients from the soil and make the food they need.Weeds, insects and diseases are adventitious organisms. That means they take advantage of weak plants and attack them, rather than get rebuffed by healthy plants. You can reduce the risk of weeds taking advantage of summer dormancy to claim the space now occupied by your weak turfgrass. A broadleaf weed treatment, in combination with fertilization, will reduce this risk.And then there are the grubs that seem to enjoy our climate. If you are experiencing big, brown insects flying around and banging into your windows, European chafer or Japanese beetle adult grubs (many call these June bugs) are flying around looking for mates. Once they lay their eggs in your turf, the next generation of grubs will begin eating the roots, unless the roots are tough and strong.I'll remind you in a couple of months when it's time to check your turf for grubs. Now it's prevention time, which can be done by making sure your turf is tough.You don't have to worry about turfgrass diseases at this time, unless we have a summer of torrential downpours, which is unlikely.If you don't want to be bothered with the responsibility of making sure your turfgrass is healthy all year long, you can still sign up for a Birchcrest lawn care program. We'll start treating immediately, before summer dormancy sets in. And, we'll adjust the cost to reflect those early season treatments that were missed.
Planting annuals is a time-honored rite of spring. It might be the final transition from winter into the growing season.Before embarking on this annual tradition, be sure winter has actually taken its leave. Check long range weather forecasts to be sure no frosts or freezes are expected in May. There's a reason why Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of the planting season in the Rochester, NY area.
Once satisfied that we're done with freezing temperatures, it's time for a trip to your garden center. Before you go, make a planting plan so you don't over buy or under buy. With a plan, you can begin planting as soon as you get home, and you can involve the whole family with everyone following a single plan.Prepare the planting beds by tilling or turning the soil and raking it smooth. Then mix in compost or fertilizer. This can be done before you go to buy the plants.When you bring the plants home, lay them out in the bed according to your plan. This will allow you to move them around if you want to make changes after seeing them in place. When satisfied, dig holes twice as big around as the root ball but only as deep as the root ball. Remove the plants from the pots or six packs and stand them up in the holes, backfill, mulch and water. Since these plants are small, you will probably not need more than two inches of mulch.If we have a dry summer, you'll have to water your annuals. They should receive at least an inch of water a week. You will also want to deadhead as needed. Deadheading is removing dead flowers before they go to seed. That way, energy will be directed to growing new flowers instead of dropping seeds. When your annuals have stopped growing flowers, it's time to change them out. Hopefully, the flowers will keep coming until the end of summer. Then you can change them out for fall flowers like mums.All annuals don't have to be planted in the ground. Some can be planted in decorative containers. The containerized plants can be placed around your deck or patio to supplement the colorful flowers that you planted in the ground. If you have physical limitations that keep you from kneeling, you can place containerized annuals in your planting beds instead of planting annuals in the ground.You can buy the plants in nursery pots, rather than little six packs, and slip the nursery pot into your decorative container. If you want to reduce the amount of weight you have to carry, you can first place the decorative container where you want to display the flowers and then slip the nursery pot into it. You can also plant annuals from a six pack into repurposed nursery pots and place them into decorative containers. When planting annuals in containers, be sure to use potting mix, not native soil from your garden.The benefits of containerized annuals include not having to kneel, easy handling and the ability to move your annuals around during the growing season. The biggest downside is that they may have to be watered more often and they are more vulnerable to the elements because the roots are more exposed than those planted in the ground.If you'd like to enjoy the color and fragrance that beds of flowering annuals provide but don't want to select and plant them, we have landscape professionals who would be happy to perform those tasks.
Our lawns are planted with cool weather grasses but even these grasses have their breaking point. Extended cold, wet periods can be especially bad for turfgrass. Rejuvenating winter damaged lawns is relatively easy, though.The first thing to do is check to be sure the grass is dry enough to support your weight and that you don't leave footprints. When that day comes, rake the lawn with an iron rake to remove any dead grass. Dead grass may be the result of winter fungal diseases, leaves left on the grass that matted and retained too much moisture under them, or just some genetically weak grass.
While raking, replace snow plow divots (if your contractor hasn't done it yet) just as you would lay sod. Rough up the bare spots and lay the divots in place, walk on them to press them into the roughed up soil and water them.If your raking revealed small bare spots, they will probably fill in as the grass greens up and begins growing. Large spots will have to be reseeded. If raking thinned out the turf, you may want to overseed just to thicken the whole lawn. As you raked, you roughened up the soil. To overseed, spread fertilizer, compost or other organic matter. Then spread grass seed, rake it into the soil and water.If you don't have to overseed or seed bare spots, this would be a good time for pre-emergent crasbgrass killer. This prevents crabgrass seeds from germinating. But it can also prevent grass seeds from germinating. The time between applying pre-emergent and a safe time to plant grass is 6 to 8 weeks. This means holding off the grass seeding until after Memorial Day.Do you typically have a bad crabgrass problem? If so, it might be better to apply the pre-emergent now and seed after Memorial Day. If crabgrass isn't a pressing issue, consider seeding now and hoping that the grass comes in thick enough to act as nature's crabgrass preventer.As soon as broadleaf weeds like dandelions begin appearing, they should be treated with a post emergent weed treatment or pulled before they get a good foothold. These weeds are best treated after they emerge rather than before.You can eliminate all the work and worry associated with lawn care all season long with a lawn care program. Our lawn care professionals will take care of all these chores at just the right time.
Fountains and water features are designed into landscapes to provide soothing calmness and tranquility during the spring, summer and fall seasons. In winter, however, they have to be winterized to protect them. I have some helpful advice for transitioning your water feature from winter hibernation to summer pleasure.Water features are different in each landscape. They range from simple, self-contained fountains to elaborate
creations, from simple waterfalls to sizeable koi ponds. Some people choose to hire professionals to winterize and summarize their water features, while others prefer to do it themselves.For the DIYer, I suggest that you...• Wait until the chance of a frost or freeze has passed.• Inspect the pump, clean it and apply any necessary lubrication. Check the manufacturer's maintenance instructions.• Clean filters, spillways, vinyl liners and any man made surfaces.• Reconnect the plumbing.• Add water to the fountain or pond as needed.• Make sure everything is primed that has to be primed.• Turn on the water.• Check for leaks.• Add any necessary chemicals.• Return any plants or animals that spent the winter elsewhere.A water feature can be a landscape's crowning touch. It complements the plants by adding an auditory dimension to the landscape's visual appeal. I hope you're able to dedicate no more than a day to preparing your water feature for the forthcoming season so you can enjoy it with little or no stress.
Soon, tiny green insects may begin flying around your ash tree(s). That could mean the beginning of the end for the tree(s). Or their decline may already have begun.These tiny insects are the dreaded emerald ash borers (EAB) in their adult stage. It's flight is a mating flight to begin the next generation of destruction to stately ash trees. After mating, the adults will die, but not before laying eggs on the nearest ash tree.[caption id="attachment_950" align="alignleft" width="250"]
Photo: Howard Russell, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org[/caption]The adult females will carve small indentations in the tree bark and lay an egg in each indentation. This will continue until she has laid her 60-100 eggs. When the larvae hatch, they immediately begin boring into the tree and start feasting on the phloem (food made through photosynthesis and the vessels that distribute it throughout the tree). The feast continues all through the year and, sometimes into a second year. After pupating inside the tree, they emerge as adults and begin the reproductive process.The infestation begins high up in the tree and progresses down with successive generations. As a result, it's difficult for the untrained eye to detect an infestation until dieback begins. Our arborists can climb to the top of the tree and look for the adults' small "D" shaped exit holes.If your ash tree(s) are infested, annual treatment may help them survive. If your trees are still healthy, we should apply a preventive treatment immediately and reapply it every two years. Treatment for this small but extremely damaging pest is not a do-it-yourself project. The most effective treatment/preventive is injected directly into the trunk of the tree at a concentration available only to certified pesticide applicators. Trees that have lost no more than a quarter of their crown to the emerald ash borer can be treated with a good prognosis. Those with more damage should be removed.The cost and the need to repeat the application every year or two may seem like a substantial investment. However, a number of treatment or preventive applications can be made for the cost of removing a large, dead ash tree and replacing it with a new tree. And, this doesn't even include the aesthetic loss, the loss of value to your property, and possible loss of understory landscaping because of their loss of shade.
Banks won't close; government offices and schools won't close. But Friday, April 26, is a holiday. Most school children will learn about Arbor Day. Many will even bring home a seedling in a paper cup to be planted in your yard.
Arbor day was first observed in 1885. In the 104 years between when Arbor Day was first observed and when it became a national holiday in 1989, each state declared its own Arbor Day. It was usually on a day that was best to start planting trees in their specific climate.The first Arbor Day was observed in Nebraska when J. Sterling Morton used his influence as a newspaperman, Nebraska Territory official and Secretary of Agriculture to President Grover Cleveland to have a day set aside to plant trees on Nebraska's nearly treeless prairie. Morton was born in the town of Adams in New York's North Country where there are plenty of trees.Arbor Day and J. Sterling Morton present you with a great teaching moment. There's plenty of material online about Morton and Arbor Day. After learning about the founder of Arbor Day, make a family activity out of doing something about trees and the environment. If there are places on your property where a new tree would look nice, take the family to your local garden center, buy a new tree and plant it as a family. Don't forget the mantra: Right Tree, Right Place. Do your homework so you're sure to select a tree that will grow well in the place you've selected.For those of you who have plenty of trees on your property, consider a tree maintenance project. For this you will probably need help from our arborists. We don't want you or your family getting hurt. Start this adventure by taking a family walk around your property, stopping to examine each tree. Jot down any care needs that you or a family member identifies. Then schedule a professional inspection. Compare your list with the arborist's.Following both inspections, sit down with the arborist, discuss your needs and prioritize. You may have trees that need pruning. You may have an ash tree that hasn't received an emerald ash borer preventive treatment. This would be an excellent Arbor Day present.We haven't forgotten that tree in a cup that your child brought home. Planting a little seedling directly into the soil out in the yard, though, can be dangerous to the tree. Due to its small size and immaturity, it can be hit by the mower, stepped on or suffer many other injuries. Unless you're prepared to give it plenty of space and put a fence around it, consider planting it in a container and setting it out on your deck or patio for a few years until it's large enough to survive in the yard. You may have to transplant it into larger containers a few times before it grows to sapling size and can be safely planted on its own.These are just a few ways that you can make Arbor Day a fun holiday that results in some great family bonding. Your community may also have family friendly events planned. Check with your town hall or your community's website.
At long last, spring has sprung! It seems as though it's been a long time coming. As anxious as you've been waiting for winter end, your yard probably fared much worse than you. After all, you could retreat inside away from the wind cold, snow and ice. Your yard didn't have that choice. It had to just endure what Mother Nature dished out.Your yard could now use some tender, loving care from you in the form of spring cleanup. Many tasks will be obvious but I offer these as a reminder and a check list:
• Start by testing the soil. If it feels soggy or you leave footprints in the lawn, you might want to give it another week or so to dry out before beginning your spring cleanup.• Pick up any litter that blew into your yard and was covered up by snow.• Rake up any leaves left from last fall or that blew into your yard over the winter.• After April showers taper off and the chance of frost is behind us, rake the mulch to the edges of your planting beds to let the soil dry out.• When the soil has dried out sufficiently, re-spread the mulch to its warm weather depth of 2 - 3 inches.• Clean out dead annuals, trim back dead branches on perennials and cut ornamental grasses back to a level just above the ground.• Stand up any toppled plants. Some may need to be dug up and replanted.• Repair any hardscape that suffered winter damage. This includes walks and patios, fences and furniture.• Buy or rent a pressure washer to get rid of any grime that has accumulated over the winter.As the weather warms, the soil dries out and the possibility of frost subsides, watch for blogs on such subjects as spring lawn care, cleaning and preparing water features for the season, and planting annuals.Photo Caption: After the grass is frost-free, leaves need raking here, one of the patio lights needs to be stood upright and the yucca plants need attention.
The calendar says spring is here and leaf buds are starting to swell. To prune or not to prune. That is the question. And, a question for which there is no pat answer.A number of factors enter into the decision of whether to prune or not. The most basic is the species of tree or shrub you're thinking about pruning. Trees and shrubs can always be pruned for safety (i.e. the removal of weak, broken, crossing or rubbing branches that could break loose and fall, causing injury and damage to people or property).
Species like maple, walnut and birch can be pruned in the spring. Yes, they are "bleeders" but their sap is through flowing so profusely by now. Apple and cherry are OK to prune now, as are stone fruit trees like peaches and plums. Wait for summer for evergreens. They will soon be putting on new growth that will change their shape. Pruning after the new growth is finished means it'll only have to be done once.Spring flowering trees and shrubs like dogwoods and lilacs shouldn't be pruned until after they flower. These plants set their flower buds last fall, so they are on the branches all ready to break forth in a sea of color. There will be plenty of time to prune after the flowers have presented us with their spectacular show.Every season's the wrong season to prune your own trees, especially if you have to leave the ground. I can't emphasize that point enough. Of all your ongoing tree maintenance, pruning is a task that should always be left to our professional arborists who have the experience, training and equipment to do the job as safely as humanly possible.Shrubs aren't as dangerous as trees, so you can prune most without putting yourself in harm's way. While shrubs are easier to prune than trees, the same rules apply. Wait until after spring flowering shrubs bloom. Wait for evergreens to finish setting their new growth. Don't leave stubs.Unlike many landscape tasks, pruning has a wide window of opportunity, regardless of the season in which it should be done. Just take your time and be safe. Or better yet, be wise and turn the whole job over to our arborists. Then you don't have to be concerned about which plants should be pruned in which season.
Bulb plants are the first flowers to bloom each spring. First the crocus, followed by the daffodils and then the tulips. These plants are best planted en masse so you can enjoy vast vistas of color. But then, you are faced with the dilemma of what to do when they are finished blooming.The first inclination is to pull them out or cut the foliage off and throw it on the compost heap. However, that's not a sustainable approach if you want them to bloom again next spring. The plants have to replenish the food in the bulb that was consumed to produce the blooms that just faded. This is done through photosynthesis.When the flowers die, they will fall off the stem naturally. If they don't fall quickly, it's OK to cut them off so that energy can be used by the leaves, stems and bulbs. But don't cut the stem or the leaves. Now that the flowers have done what nature put them on earth to do, it's the leaves' turn to do their thing.When the leaves and stems die back and turn brown, you can then safely cut them off at the base, confident that they have served their purpose. If you want an extra level of protection, you can apply fertilizer around the base of your plants. Fertilize daffodils in early spring just as the plants are starting to poke up. Tulips should be fertilized in the fall. Check with your garden store horticulturists to see what formulation is best for your area. Don't fertilize when you first plant the bulbs. They have plenty of food stored in the bulbs that will be used to grow that first year.To keep your spring bulb beds from looking like a desert for most of the summer, you can plant later blooming companion plants among the bulbs. Companion plants are those that are planted in a bed to complement the other plants. Plants like hosta, coneflowers and black-eyed susans don't come up until the bulb plants are at the end of their season. They fill in the bare spots and bloom in the summer or early fall so you have color all season.Spring bulbs are such a welcome sight after a long winter. Yet, they are very low maintenance plants. Follow these tips and you'll be able to enjoy early spring color in your landscape year after year.
There's an old saying that pre-emergent crabgrass control should be applied when forsythia bloom. Although other factors enter the picture, the appearance of these prolific yellow flowers serves as a good reminder. And, they will soon make their appearance for 2019.
Crabgrass is, possibly, the peskiest weed in our lawn, and the only one that can be treated effectively only with a pre-emergent product. Pre-emergent prevents latent seeds from germinating; other weeds are best killed after they appear.The ubiquitous crabgrass pre-emergent application is just the first step in a season long relationship with your lawn. It's also going to need several fertilizer applications. The first can be applied at the same time as the pre-emergent to help the grass break dormancy and begin greening up.When dandelions and other broadleaf weeds appear, they'll need to be dealt with, possibly two or three times during the season.There is one bright spot. If you treated for grubs last fall, you probably don't need to treat again this spring. The best way to be sure is to cut several one square foot pieces of sod in different parts of the lawn. Pull the sod back and check for grubs. They are white and crescent shaped. If there are six or fewer in each square foot, they won't do enough damage to warrant treatment. Seven or more calls for treatment.The healthiest thing you can do for your lawn is to mow high. Set your mower deck height to 3.5 to four inches. Mowing high encourages deep, healthy roots and thick turf. Weeds like to grow where there is open space but your lush, thick turf won't leave them any room.This may seem like an awful lot of work, and you'll be right. It's much easier to hire our lawn care professionals. They'll make the necessary treatments at the most effective time. You won't have to keep watching the calendar and the weather conditions and make everything fit into your schedule. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy your nice, green lawn.
Plant Health Care (PHC) is a holistic approach to maintaining your trees, shrubs and even your perennials. PHC begins when you first select a plant and continues throughout its lifetime. Here are some of the ways in which PHC can play a role in your plant's health and longevity:• To begin with, it's important to select the right plant for the location. This will go a long way towards assuring the health of your plant for years to come. It will be happy and grow the way it's supposed to, reducing the need for ongoing maintenance.• Provide good cultural care throughout their lifetime. That means having them pruned when they need pruning, providing any protection they need like guarding against animals feeding on them in winter and fertilizing if needed.
• Practice IPM (Integrated Pest Management). Some people believe IPM is PHC but it is only one aspect of it. IPM is the process of monitoring plants regularly for insect and disease activity and taking the action that's most effective at controlling the pest with the least impact on the environment. Regular monitoring detects pest activity in its early stages when less aggressive treatment is still possible.• A key aspect of PHC is preventive care. It's said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For example, preventive treatment for emerald ash borer (EAB) can save your ash trees from sure destruction. An already infested ash tree must be treated every year. Preventive treatments only have to be made every two years. Saving both time and trauma to the tree. The same is true for Dutch elm disease.• Changes to the landscape can also affect the surroundings. If, for example, a large tree is removed, it could affect understory plants – those planted in the shade of that tree. Plants that would thrive under a canopy would likely be shade tolerant. Removing the source of their shade exposes them to more sunlight than they are able to tolerate, resulting in very stressed plants.• If a plant is dead or dying, our Plant Health Care professional will recommend its removal. In addition to safety concerns, they consider such factors as the health of other plants whose roots are intermingled with the affected plant and the overall appearance of the landscape.PHC is a specialty within the arboriculture profession. Our PHC professionals are specially trained to diagnose and treat any tree and shrub problems early before they get a foothold. They employ the most effective, cost efficient and environmentally sensitive practices available. However, you are always in charge of the program. Our PHC pro makes recommendations. You make the final decision on how to proceed.
Winter is a good time to do a little research before the landscape season is upon us, especially if new trees or shrubs are in your plans. When spring arrives and you go to your garden center with your plant list, you’ll be better prepared.
The internet is a good place to begin. The site I recommend for good, professional information is www.treesaregood.com. It's the International Society of Arboriculture's (ISA's) consumer information site. A selection of consumer flyers can be downloaded free from the Tree Owner Information heading. The Arbor Day Foundation (arborday.org) is another worthwhile site. One caution, though: the foundation sells trees at what appears to be a very low price. These are bare root saplings. My advice is to obtain the information you need from their list to help you select a tree you like but to purchase it at a local nursery or garden center where you can examine the tree before you buy.Your first step should be to select a site on your property where a tree or shrub is needed. Determine the amount of space that you have available. Are there any obstacles like driveways, walkways, overhead or underground utilities or even pool or patio that could be adversely impacted by planting on that site? How much sunlight does the site receive? How is the drainage? What type of soil is there? You may have to wait until spring to determine the drainage and soil conditions but the answers to all of these questions affect your plant selection. If the site and the plant aren't compatible, you'll have nothing but headaches ranging from extra maintenance to the plant dying. Remember...right plant, right place.Your second step should be to decide why you want a plant in that space. The German Bauhaus art school's "form follows function" design philosophy should apply. Knowing why you want a plant in that space will also influence your selection. Are you planting it as a windbreak, to provide cooling, for privacy, to fill an empty space in your landscape design, for its fruit or to clean the air or prevent erosion?When you select a plant variety that you would like, check for any problems before getting attached to it. Is it hardy in our zone 5/6 climate? Does it have any potential pest problems? (You wouldn't want to plant an ash tree today, for example.) Is the growth pattern right for the site?You'll have to wait a couple of months before garden centers begin receiving their fresh plants from the nurseries but when you go, with your research fresh in your mind, seek additional advice from one of their staff horticulturists. It's a good bet that the tree you buy this spring will outlive you so you'll have to care for it a good long time – good reason to get it right.Carefully look over the plant you're considering. Be sure the trunk is straight and solid with no wounds and good branching structure with no crossing or rubbing branches and no co-dominant stems. When a trunk branches into two or more "Y" shaped trunks that appear to be of near equal size, those are co-dominant stems. Even though they appear equal, one is always weaker and prone to breakage and other major problems that you don't need.Have the horticulturist pull it out of the pot or pull the burlap back so you can check for girdling root. That's a root that's encircling the root ball. If everything else checks out, it's OK to have the horticulturist cut the girdling root out.When you get the plant home, dig the hole at least twice the diameter of the root ball but only the depth of the root ball. Remove the tree from its pot and stand it in the hole. If it's balled and burlapped, cut the wire or twine and pull the burlap down from the sides. Backfill the hole, stopping about halfway to gently tamp the soil to eliminate any air pockets. Finish backfilling, tamp again, water and mulch. Don't stake unless you are planting in a very windy location.For expert assistance, you can select the site, define your reason for planting, have some varieties in mind and turn the rest over to one of our professional landscape designers. Our professional designers know plants so be open minded if they advise against planting in a certain location. You'll thank the designer for saving you a lot of work in the future.
If dividing your perennials is one of the fall landscape tasks that you just didn't get to before winter descended upon us, fear not. It's ok to do it in the spring.However, you don't want to run right out and begin dividing perennials now. Right now, the soil is either frozen or muddy, neither of which is workable. I suggest
you put it on your to-do list for when spring actually arrives. You will have better success when the soil is plantable. You’ll be able to tell its ready when you can take a handful of soil, squeeze it and little or no water drains from your hand.Dividing or splitting is one of the best methods to propagate perennials. Each perennial you divide yields three new plants, and all it costs you is a few minutes of work. The process also keeps perennials from taking over your whole yard and maintains the original look of your beds. Here's how it's done:• Lay a tarp or piece of plastic on the ground next to your perennial bed.• Select those perennials that have grown too large and spread out too much for the space.• With a sharp spade, dig up the whole perennial(s) you plan to split and lay it on the tarp.• Using your sharp spade, pruners, a saw or any sharp tool that you feel comfortable with, cut the rootball in half. Then cut each half in half so you have four individual plants.• Return one section to the hole. Backfill, tamping about halfway through the process to remove any air pockets. Finish backfilling, tamp, water and mulch.• Plant the other three plants elsewhere or find them a new home.You may have places in your own yard that would make a good home for the remaining perennials from your splitting operation. If not, they make nice gifts for your gardening friends. One or more of your local non-profit organizations that sponsor spring plant sales would also appreciate your donating the split perennials to the sale.You may find that you prefer splitting perennials in spring, rather than fall. That way you, or the recipients of the extra plants, don't have to overwinter them. They can plant them, or sell them, as soon as they are received. You may prefer not to split perennials at all, in which case, we have landscape professionals who would be happy to do it for you.
Tree trimming is one of an electric utility's highest maintenance expenses, and you, the ratepayers, foot the bill. There is something homeowners and municipalities can do to rein in those costs. Plant lower growing trees near power lines.Safely providing consistent power is the utilities’ number one priority. So, trees that interfere with utility wires are going to be pruned to maintain state-mandated distances from wires. Besides looking less attractive, excessively pruned trees' lives may be shortened. They will be under stress, which can lead to insect and disease attacks.
Most property owners, both private and public, believe there is nothing they can do except lament the aggressive pruning required by the New York State Public Service Commission. But there is something you can do. If you have a tree interfering with power lines in your yard, have it removed and replaced with a lower growing tree.With the high winds that we experienced in Western New York recently, I felt it important to share a factor our designers take into consideration when deciding on tree placement. That is the location of utilities. I hope you'll also keep it in mind as you plan the addition of trees to your landscape. It's important to look up as well as down. Electric, telephone and cable wires can be either above ground or under ground. Gas, water and sewer are always underground and if you have a septic system it is critical to avoid interfering with that. The final height and spread of the tree have to be considered when planning where to plant. Below ground, the spread of the root system comes into play. Roots often grow great distances beyond the dripline (edge of the leaf canopy),Underground, roots can be growing near or around utilities. If it's necessary for the utilities to dig down and repair their infrastructure, roots may be severed in the process, increasing the tree's stress. Before digging the hole to plant a tree, it's necessary to call the local utility locator service. A representative will come to your property, locate the utilities and put little flags in the ground. If you don't have utilities flagged and cause damage, you may be responsible for the repair. To schedule flagging, you can phone 811 or contact your utility or town hall for the number of the service they use. To contact a utility locator service online, google utility locators and your Zip code.Proper tree selection and placement can reduce danger, reduce power outages, improve your landscape appearance and reduce costs for utilities and their customers. Trees that grow 60 feet or taller should be planted a minimum of 35 feet from a structure like a house or electric lines. Those that grow up to 40 feet should be planted at least 15 feet from structures or wires. Only trees growing 20 feet or less should be planted within 15 feet of wires.Local governments and utilities have been given an "easement" to enter your property to maintain their infrastructure. However, you are responsible for any necessary pruning of trees interfering with service lines coming from the pole to your home. That's why it behooves you to plant only low growing plants around utility wires.
We've been having a classic Great Lakes/Finger Lakes winter so far. Fluctuating temperatures, frequent freeze/thaw cycles, days with plowable snow and days with bare ground are typical of a Great Lakes winter. They’re also the perfect combination of conditions that cause winter burn on evergreens.I hope you had us spray your evergreens with antidesiccant. This wax like material keeps transpired water from photosynthesis from being blown from leaves and needles before it can be reabsorbed by the leaves and used again in the process. It's the most economical protections against winter burn that you can provide for these valuable trees and shrubs.
If you did have antidesiccant applied, it may need to be reapplied. Normally, the waxy material melts in spring when the weather warms up. If the weather warms up during the winter, the antidesiccant can melt early, in which case, it should be "touched-up."If you didn't have us protect your evergreens before winter arrived, there's plenty of winter left, and we can still apply antidesiccant for the first time. Our professionals will also inspect your plants and , if any are already suffering from winter burn, we’ll advise you of that. The only treatment is pruning out the dead branches.In addition to preventjng winter burn, antidesiccant is also good for the smooth bark of some deciduous trees like sycamore or cherry. Freeze/thaw cycles can cause frost cracks – cracks in the bark that run up and down the tree. They occur when water in the trunk thaws and begins flowing during a thaw, only to freeze again and expand, cracking the bark.Antidesiccant can be applied only when the temperatures are above freezing. For best results, we try to wait until the mercury soars above 40º F. The sooner you call the earlier we can get you on our schedule for when the weather breaks again.
How you plan your landscape can actually reduce your utility bill. Follow the tips below when planning spring planting and let Mother Nature help you save energy. Strategic placement of trees and shrubs can save you a substantial amount year round.
If you plant conifers like spruce and pine to the north and west of your home, they can help block, or more accurately deflect, cold winter winds, since north and west are the directions of our prevailing winds. For maximum savings, plant evergreens a distance from the house. They will then deflect the wind, sending it up and over the roof, rather than just trying to stop the wind. It’s the same concept as the airfoils you see on the roofs of tractor-trailer cabs. They deflect air over the trailer, which is higher than the cab.Planting deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) to the south and east of the house works in your favor year round. In the winter, sunlight can reach your house through the barren branches and provide some warmth. In summer, when the sun is hotter, the trees’ leaves can block the rays and help to keep it cool.Landscaping is a blend of science and art. The trees’ biology, the physics affecting heat and wind flow and aesthetics all have to be considered. You won’t be happy if the evergreen and deciduous trees don’t balance each other visually and the design makes your yard look off kilter. And, the trees won’t be happy if you don’t plant the right tree in the right place.If you want the energy saving results but don’t want to balance all the design elements with scientific reality, one of our professional designers will be happy to work with you to assure that all criteria are met. Starting the process now, in winter, can result in early spring installation, so you can begin enjoying your new landscape soon after winter departs.
With winter in full swing and the recent snow melt, you may be starting to get that itch to be out working in the yard. Punxsutawney Phil said we have about six more weeks of winter so there will most like be more snow shoveling but I don't think that's the kind of outdoor work you are hoping for. While I can't make spring get here any faster, I can offer some suggestions for staying occupied – you can make sure your outdoor tools are in good working order.If you have a heated work area, you can get a head start on spring by servicing the tools that weren’t serviced in the fall before you put them away for the winter. Some of the projects you could do while waiting for spring include:• Servicing your lawnmower according to the owner's manual. At the very least the oil, spark plug and air filter should be changed.• Cleaning the underside of the mowing deck.• Sharpening the blade.• Servicing your handheld power equipment like blowers and string trimmers according to the owner’s manual. What service is required depends on the type of engine the tool is equipped with. All internal combustion engines require changing the spark plug and air filter. If equipped with a 4 cycle engine you should also change the oil. A 2 cycle engine uses an oil gas mix so it doesn’t require an oil change.• Making sure the fuel is fresh• Making an appointment now if you prefer to take your power equipment to a dealer for service. They get very busy closer to spring.• Sharpening shovels, iron rakes, pruning shears and other tools that are used to cut or penetrate.• Starting to shop for new hand tools if yours are getting worn out. Newer models are being made with lighter weight material and stronger, sharper blades.• If replacing outdoor power equipment is planned for this season. Be sure to be an educated consumer. Start by researching now and be sure to keep an eye out for sales. There are both commercial and consumer grade equipment. Commercial grade is typically heavier duty and sold through power equipment dealers. Consumer grade machines are designed for homeowner use and are available through power equipment dealers but can also be found at big box stores.Here in our area, spring doesn't creep up on us. It tends to arrive rather suddenly. Follow these tips and you'll be ready when it arrives, rather than having to scurry around doing maintenance when you should be out mowing.
It may seem a bit early to think about next spring’s landscape renovations, but I assure you it’s not. Planning a beautiful landscape takes time, and you don’t typically have landscaping chores in the winter, so using that time to plan will allow you to hit the ground running, come spring.All good plans begin with objectives, and your landscape renovation plan is no exception. One objective that many property owners put right at the top of the list is lower maintenance. People today are so busy they have to budget their time, and landscapes often don’t get the TLC they need and deserve.
There are a number of design considerations that can lead to reduced maintenance. Planting the right plant in the right place should be number one. This may seem basic, and it appears in every garden story but people often forget this axiom when visiting a nursery. You may find a plant that you absolutely fall in love with. If it’s not suitable for the site you have planned, I recommend resisting the temptation to buy it and plant it in that spot anyway.If you just must have it, consider whether you have a more suitable site on your property for your newfound botanic love. If you don’t, ask one of the horticulturists at your garden center if there is a similar plant that’s better suited for the site you have in mind. Planting the wrong plant in the wrong place will, inevitably, sour your love affair with that plant very quickly, and it will cost you more to keep it alive. Since stressed plants are more attractive targets for pests, you’ll spend more on pest control. The plant’s dissatisfaction with its new home will increase its need for fertilizer. If it grows too big for the site, you’ll have to pay for frequent pruning. And the list goes on.Selecting native plants or nativars (cultivars of native plants) can also decrease maintenance requirements. Native plants have grown here for many years so they have adapted to our growing conditions. There are also many introduced plants that have adapted well to our environment. Making sure you buy only plants that have adapted successfully requires a little research.Some of the negative factors you’ll experience from planting non-natives or introduced plants that haven’t adapted well is that they may become invasive. This will require them to be cut back constantly. Plants that haven’t adapted well are also preferred targets for many insects and diseases, increasing the need for pest control.Starting on your design now will give you plenty of time to do your due diligence to be sure you are doing everything humanly possible to assure that the plants you choose will live a long, healthy life with minimal care.If you aren’t into plant research, or are concerned about the accuracy of your data, you can turn to one of our landscape designers. They already have the answers to those questions that you’ll spend time researching. And, they spend their winters designing landscapes and landscape renovations for early spring installation.
