Tag: landscape

Spring Clean-Up: A Strong Start to the Season

Finally, there are signs of Spring.

January is over and we are starting to notice little changes in the environment that are early indicators of Spring. For those of us in the Landscape and Lawn Maintenance industry, it is a welcome arrival. I am sure that many of you are ready for warmer weather, longer days, and sunnier skies too.

The arrival of warmer weather and longer days signals the start of the spring planting season. Before you can make plans for new plantings or other changes to your landscape, you need to take the time to thoroughly clean up your landscape or lawn. We call this a Spring Cleanup. We have all heard the terms Spring Cleaning before, though maybe you never associated it with your outdoor spaces.

Spring cleanups are, in my opinion, the most important cultural practice that we do all year for our landscapes and lawns. It helps us to establish a healthy, clean growing environment, where our plants and turf can thrive in the coming season. Spring cleanups do not have to be arduous tasks that take a long time to complete, however there are a few specific things that you will want to check off the list.

Perennials and Ornamentals

Spring is a good time to cut back certain species to encourage a bigger and better regeneration later in the season. Ornamental grasses can be cut back to about 1/5th of their max height.

It is also a good time to divide up fall blooming perennials and grasses. By doing this in the spring, you are giving the divided plants a season grow and will have new plants in the fall.

Beds

Beds are probably the most intimidating aspect of the Spring Cleanup. Over the winter they get cluttered with fallen leaves, twigs, sticks, and other debris. This all needs to be removed. By removing the debris, the surface of the bed becomes open to better water absorption and gas exchange, improving the growing medium for the bedded plants.

Folks tend to want to spread fresh mulch in the spring, to help dress everything up, after all, fresh mulch is one way to spruce things up quickly and affordably, but I would hold off. One of the primary functions of mulch is moisture retention, which can aid in the reduction of irrigation water to beds. In the spring though, there is plenty of natural moisture, we don’t necessarily need to retain any at this point. And we all know, or at least we should, that too much moisture for plant roots can create a host of disease issues. So, hold off on the new mulch for now.
If you just cannot wait on the mulch, then tread lightly. Go thinner on the application and monitor the moisture level in your beds closely.

The last thing that I recommend for bed maintenance in the spring, is to cut a fresh new edge on the perimeter of the bed and make a pre-emergent herbicide application to the interior of the bed. Pre-emergent is most often utilized by professional turf managers to control undesirable weeds in sports fields, golf courses, and home lawns, but it will also work wonders in a bed. Nobody likes spending hours on their hands and knees weeding beds all summer long. A well timed pre-emergent application in the spring can prevent this and keep your beds looking clean and weed free all season.

Lawns

We approach lawns in a similar manner to beds. Rake up or blow the debris from the winter away, exposing the underlying grass. Give the lawn a mow to clean it up. Spring is also a great time to aerify cool season grasses like Fescue.

In this area, Fescue can and often does struggle during the summer months if not properly maintained. A spring aerification can pay dividends later in the season when the temps go up and things get stressful.

Keeping a healthy lawn means keeping the weeds out. Make your pre-emergent herbicide applications before mid-March, although I prefer to use indicator plants, like the Forsythia. If you can make the application before the Forsythia bloom in your area, then you should be fine. It is also a good time to start feeding your lawn. A balanced fertilizer program is essential for healthy turf.

Spring clean ups can work wonders for a lawn or landscape, and they don’t have to be intimidating for the homeowner. Make the effort this spring to clean up your outdoor spaces before the growing season really starts and you’ll reap the rewards the rest of the year.

Understanding Mulch

Many folks take mulching for granted. They are not sure why they need to mulch, how much or when to apply it, or why type to use. However, proper mulching is one of the most beneficial things that a homeowner can do for their landscape.

Mulches are defined as materials placed over the soil surface to maintain moisture and improve soil conditions. They are intended to help reduce moisture loss from the soil, minimize weed competition, and improve soil structure (the aggregation of soil particles).

When properly applied, mulch can really complete a landscape. However, it must be selected and applied properly in order for the homeowner to receive the full benefits. If applied too deep or the wrong material is used, it can cause significant harm to trees and other landscape plants.

Benefits of Mulch
Proper mulching has many benefits:
– Helps maintain soil moisture
o Reduces evaporation and need for supplemental irrigation/watering
– 2-4” layer reduces the germination and growth of weeds
– Improves temperature regulation
o Keeps soil temperatures cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter
– Can improve soil aeration, structure (aggregation of soil particles), and drainage over time
– Can improve soil fertility
– Mulch around trees can help facilitate maintenance and reduces the likelihood of injury or damage from lawn equipment and tools
– Gives planting beds a “finished”/ polished look

Mulch mimics the natural environment. Forests create their own mulch via leaf litter and decomposing organics on the soil surface. This is critical to the overall health of the ecosystem as it improves nutrient uptake and root growth of forest plants. Mother nature, when left to her own devices, usually gets it just right.

Urban area on the other hand, often have a more hostile growing environment. Generally speaking, land development and construction in urban areas leads to poorer soil quality, less organic material in the soil profile, and increased soil temperature and moisture fluctuations. These combine to create an environment that is hostile to the establishment and health of landscape plants. Applying a 2-4” layer of the proper organic mulch in these areas can create a more natural environment for trees, shrubs, and plants.

When considering trees, it is important to remember that tree roots are not a mirror image of the top of the tree. Roots can in fact extend out a great distance from the trunk. General tree maintenance guidelines reference the “drip line” (the outermost extension of the tree canopy), however roots can extend much further than the “drip line”.

Most nutrient absorbing roots grow in shallower soil though. These shallow, fine roots are essential for the absorption of water, nutrients, and oxygen for all plants. A think layer of mulch inside the “drip line” can improve soil structure, moisture, oxygen, and temperature in this crucial layer of the soil profile.

Mulch Types
Mulches are available commercially in many forms. The two major types of available mulches are organic and inorganic.

Inorganic mulches are generally comprised of material like:
 lava rocks
 stones
 crushed rubber
 certain geotextile material
 various other materials

These materials do not decompose and do not need to be replenished over time. They also do not provide any nutritional, structural, or organic value to the soil profile.

Organics mulches are composed of material like:
 wood chips
 pine needles
 hardwood and softwood barks
 cocoa hulls
 leaves
 other organic materials

These materials decompose in the landscape at different rates depending on the material and climate. The decomposition process improves soil quality and fertility, however they must be replenished over time.

How Much Mulch to Apply
The amount of mulch applied is just as important, if not more than the type being applied. Too much mulch can be harmful. The accepted depth for most mulch application is between 2-4”, however many landscapes fall victim to over-mulching, with large mounds around the bases of trees being quite common.

Although organic mulches must be replaced over time as the parent material decays, the rate of decomposition varies depending on material and local climate. Some mulches, like Cypress, can take years to decompose.
Many homeowners will top-dress with new mulch annually (to refresh the color). This can create a buildup to depths that become unhealthy for most plants. If top-dressing old mulch, remove the ole material every so often, keeping application rates in line with decomposition rates to avoid creating a anaerobic growing environment.

Improper mulching can lead to a host of problems:
– Excess root zone moisture
o Added stress for the plant and causes root rot
– Piling against tree trunks or plant stems can cause stem tissue stress and lead to insect and disease issues
– Certain mulches can affect soil pH (proper pH is essential for any life form to grow and develop)
o Continued use over extended periods can lead to micronutrient deficiencies in the soil or nutrient toxicities (yes, there can be toxic effects from too many nutrients in the soil)
– Mulch piled high against tree trunks may encourage rodent infestations
– Thick application of fine mulches may prevent the penetration of air and water (anaerobic and hydrophobic conditions)
o This is the opposite of why we mulch in the first place
– Anaerobic soil may give off foul odors (rotten egg smells)
– Build up of alcohols and organic acids may be toxic to young plants

 

 

Proper mulch selection and application method are very important to the overall health and sustainability of landscape plants.

Guidelines for proper mulching:
– Inspect plants and soil in the area to be mulched
o Adequate drainage?
o What type of mulch is best? (when in doubt, ask a professional)
– Check depth of any mulch already present
o Do not add if there is enough in place
o Rake old mulch to refresh the appearance and break up any matted layers
– Pull back from stems of plants and trunks of trees so that the crowns are exposed
– Organics are usually preferred over inorganics b/c of their beneficial soil contributions
o Organics should be well aerated and preferably composted
 Avoid foul smelling mulch
– Composted wood chips make a great mulch
o Especially when old leaves and bark is included
o Fresh wood chips may be used around established trees and shrubs
o Avoid non-composted chips that have been piled deep without exposure to oxygen
– For well drained sites use a 2-4” layer of mulch
o If there are drainage problems, a thinner layer should be used
o Avoid placing against tree trunks
o Do apply out to the drip line of the tree and beyond if possible

Keep in mind when selecting mulch for your landscape that there are many factors that must be considered in order to get the full benefits of mulch applications. For more information about mulch varieties, benefits, and application timings, contact a landscape professional.

Importance Of Pre-Emergent Weed Control

 

A weed is generally defined as any undesirable species present in an otherwise homogenous stand of turf. Weeds can be intimidating and stressful on both professional turf managers and homeowners, but they don’t have to be. With the right information and timing, weeds can be controlled and virtually eliminated from a turf stand (if a plan is developed and followed). Pre-emergent herbicides are the key in the battle against weeds.

As a golf course superintendent, every  September, I would start the pre-emergent application process, so that turf at the course would be lush and weed free not only for the remaining season but also for the coming one.

Many might think that this is an expensive process or can not be done to residential lawns. It most certainly can, and should be done to home lawns. The cost is outweighed by the season-long benefits that it provides. You know the saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ That is precisely the case with pre-emergent applications. Weed free lawns provide homeowners with better curb appeal, a more enjoyable lawn, and a denser,healthier lawn.

It is considerably more difficult and costly to control weeds once they have emerged from the soil.

We all know how unsightly rampant weeds can be in a lawn. There is a another negative effect weeds have on your lawn aside from aesthetics. Weeds compete with desirable turf for sunlight, water, air and essential nutrients. The effect of all the competition is a significant reduction in the overall health, density, vigor and aesthetics of the rest of your lawn as the more aggressive weeds out grown the existing grass.

Weed infestations can become uncontrollable quickly if there is not preventative action taken. In order to combat weeds, a well thought plan needs to be developed (likely with the help of a professional) and followed.

Strategic timing for the pre-emergent application is crucial to its overall effectiveness as is choosing the proper active ingredient (AI) in the pre-emergent. Waiting too late to make the application is not going to do you or your lawn any favors and can severely inhibit the efficacy of the treatment resulting in weed breakthrough and weaker protection.

Pre-emergent chemicals will only work when applied before weed seeds germinate, and location, grass type, and soil temperatures are the determining factors as to when that is, so if there is any doubt, contact a professional for a consultation. When applied properly, the active ingredient in the pre-emergent forms a barrier to prevent newly germinated weed seeds from breaking the soil surface and infesting your lawn.

Uniform coverage during application is critical for the effective barrier to cover the entire area you want to protect. In order to make an even, uniform application of the pre-emergent, it is critical to follow the following steps:

  1. make sure that your spreader is calibrated properly to the rate you want to distribute on the lawn
  2. apply half of the recommended application rate moving across the lawn in a north/south pattern
  3. make a second application at half of the recommended rate moving across the lawn in an east/west pattern
  4. irrigate the application into the soil

Key points about pre-emergent applications:

  1.  Pre-ermergent inhibits the development of newly germinated weed seeds.
  2. The product does not prohibit germination, but rather prevents the development of weeds above the soil surface.
  3. It is best to apply uniformly, at the right time, over the entire area that is to be protected.
  4. Most applications need to be watered in by at least a half inch of water after the application to be effective.

If this seems like a lot to take in, don’t worry about it. The professionals at Crossroads Turf can take care of it to ensure you have the weed free lawn you deserve.