The Autumn Equinox is upon us!

Did you know that there are only two days each year, one in March and one in September, when daylight and darkness are equal no matter where you live on earth? The autumn equinox came on September 23 rd , 2019.
Whether you are a fan of the summer season or relieved to see the end of all that heat and humidity, we can all appreciate the cooler days, crisp nights, and the magnificent color compliments of the changing leaves. And of course, the start of autumn means that our holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas are right around the bend!
The fall season is an important time of year for all of us at Freedom Lawns. Our services are designed to prepare your lawn for winter and provide treatments that will insure optimum results this coming spring. From all our Freedom Lawns team members, we would like to extend our sincerest
"Thank you" for your support and patronage of our services this past year!
We hope that you enjoy our fall newsletter. Your comments and suggestions are always appreciated. Let us know what you think!
All the best for a great autumn season!

Your Freedom Lawns Team
Your Freedom Lawns team of specialist attended a turf and plant care workshop on September 26 th , 2019. They learned the latest developments and techniques in lawn and plant care management.

The workshop included presentations by several University instructors and professors who work exclusively in the field of turfgrass and ornamental plant care.

Several of the topics presented included identifying lawn and plant problems, damaging insects and diseases, new turfgrass varieties, and some of the latest and more innovated products that were recently released. Freedom Lawns works closely with all local agricultural colleges for the latest research developments in our industry. 
Lawns, and for that matter even plants, have specific needs as the seasons change. Your Freedom Lawns turf and plant care professionals will ensure that your lawn and plants are receiving the ideal treatments this fall. There are also a few things that you can do that will enable your lawn to look its best during the autumn and winter months.

Here are a few:
Warm Season Grasses
(Bermuda, Centipede, St. Augustine, Zoysia & Carpet-grass)
Keep mowing on a regular basis!
Your warm season lawn may begin to slowdown in growth as the daylight hours shorten and the soil temperatures begin to drop. Keep mowing until your lawn is in a total state of dormancy (brown).
Keep your lawn clear of debris!
Allowing leaves and other debris to remain on your lawn will smother the grass and result in permanent damage. This is particularly true in shadier areas.
Some irrigation may still be necessary!
Until your lawn is in a total state of dormancy for the winter, it will require some irrigation. As your grass slows down in growth and the fall temperatures begin to drop, you can reduce your irrigation regiment. Irrigation should be based on the frequency of significant rainfall.
Turn irrigation off for the winter!
Once your lawn is in a complete state of dormancy, it will not require addition watering from you until it begins to grow again next spring. Turn off the irrigation system and be sure to drain the back-flow in case we receive hard freezes during the winter months.
Winter is an excellent time!
In the winter months be sure to prune branches and bring in tree canopies that are preventing adequate light from reaching areas of your lawn. Excess shade is one of the leading causes of warm season lawn decline!
Cool Season Grasses
(Tall Fescue, Fine Fescue, Bluegrass, Ryegrass & Bentgrass)
Mow weekly at 3-3.5 inches
Be sure to mow your lawn weekly at 3-3.5 inches
throughout the fall and early winter months. During your final mowing of the year, mow one inch shorter in height to prevent snow mold and matted down grass blades.
Fall is the time to Core Aerate and Over Seed
Fall is the ideal time to over-seed your lawn and repair the areas that may have thinned or been damaged from drought stress, insects, or summer diseases. Please call our office for your price and scheduling of core aeration and seeding.
Keep falling leaves cleaned up!
Leaves and other debris that remain on your lawn will smother the grass causing severe thinning and damage to your lawn.
Avoid foot traffic
Heavy foot traffic on frozen lawns can damage the crown of your grass plants and cause lawn damage. Refrain from walking or playing on frozen lawn areas.  
The average person believes that eating healthier costs more when in fact it can be just as cheap as your normal routine.

Most people will have a sandwich or wrap for lunch with chips or vegetables. When going to the average grocery store, chips cost anywhere from $1-$5 depending on what you get. Let’s say you choose to get the bag of chips that are a $1 and along with those chips you purchase deli meat. Oscar Meyer deli meat usually costs around $5 and that’s normally the cheapest meat you can buy. If you decide that you want cheese on your sandwich cheese can cost around $4-$5 as well and even bread costs that amount. Already we are at $13- $15 and a loaf will last you a week, but those chips probably won’t.

What if I told you can make a healthy meal for $10 that will last you a week?

Vegetable are cheap and filling along with grains like rice, quinoa, lentils, etc. Meat is important, but the stuff that you surround the meat with is also important. You can buy a box of rice which will contain 4-5 servings and last you a week (for yourself) for a dollar. Before going to the store be sure to research what produce are in season. These items will be much cheaper than produce not in season. If you need to buy produce that is not in season buy frozen or canned.

Here is a list of produce that are in season during the fall:
  • Broccoli      
  • Broccoli Raab
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Cabbage
  • Cucumbers
  • Fennel
  • Grapes
  • Green Beans
  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Squash
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Tomatoes

Below is a meal that will cost you $10 or less and will last a week for yourself or 3 days for a family of two. The spaghetti squash is normally reasonably priced around $2 and a rotisserie chicken can cost anywhere from $4-$6 and if you have to get the Frank’s Red-Hot Buffalo Sauce that’s about $2 and that's all you need for this recipe!
Freedom Lawns Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups spaghetti squash shredded
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken,
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 Frank's Red Hot
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Split spaghetti squash in half, scoop out seeds
  3. Fill a microwave safe dish with 1 inch of water
  4. Place spaghetti squash face down in water and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes until cooked and squash is easy to shred. (You can also bake the squash at 400 degrees for 20-25 min)
  5. While spaghetti squash is cooking, make shredded chicken. Boil chicken on stove for 10 minutes or buy a rotisserie chicken.
  6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic powder, egg, Frank's Red Hot, rosemary and pepper.
  7. Add cooked spaghetti squash, shredded chicken, sauce and blue cheese crumbles in a bowl and stir until combined.
  8. Pour mixture in a grease 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until the top starts to brown.
Horticulture oils are used to control a variety of plant damaging insects including aphids, Scale, Spider Mites, Lace bugs, Adelgids and many more. Dormant Oils/ Horticulture oils will also kill insects that can spread deadly plant viruses and diseases such as Aphids and Thrips. Our highly refined oils are environmentally friendly and safer for people, pets, and beneficial insects. These oils can also help to control and prevent certain fungus diseases such as Powdery Mildew disease.

Some insect pests will overwinter in the larvae or egg stage, then return to cause problems for your plants in the spring and early summer the following year. Applied in winter and early spring, our treatments will greatly reduce insect damage to your ornamental plants next year!

Are your plants scheduled for their dormant oil treatment? If not, give your local office a call today to schedule.

*dormant oil services are not available in all markets*
Beautiful, green, lush flora and fauna can do wonders for adding a feeling of warmth and comfort to your home. Some folks are intimidated with the thought of having to take care of a houseplant. Taking care of house plants, however, simply requires a little understanding of the plant and some good old fashion common sense!
Plant Selection
Selecting a house plant is similar to buying bananas in the grocery store! Look for a plant that has healthy looking foliage and no bruises. Avoid plants with yellow or chlorotic   looking leaves, brown lesions (spots), or water soaked looking leaves. Watch for foliage that has been damaged mechanically in shipping or storage and look closely for any indication of insects. Greenhouse grown plants can be susceptible to whiteflies and aphids! Finally, make sure that your plant is not root bound by looking underneath the pot to make sure there are no roots protruding. Root constriction can be a problem for most plants whether indoor or outdoor.

If you are purchasing house plants during a time of year when we have extreme temperature swings, (hot in summer, cold in winter), be sure that you do not expose your plants to these elements while transporting the plant to its new home. Some plants are very sensitive to excessive high or low temperatures. Be sure not to leave house plants in your vehicle for too long as considerable damage may occur.
Acclimate Your Plants
Just like you and I, your house plants will enjoy some nice weather and fresh air during the warmer days of the year. Keep in mind that plants must adapt gradually to a change in climate and environment. For example, tropical plants that have been indoors all winter may not be accustom to our intense summer sun. It would be wise to gradually increase the amount of sunlight each day. Contrary to that, if you decide to bring plants indoors for winter, you will want to bring them in for a few hours each day until they have adjusted to their new environment. If your plants have been outdoors all summer, you may want to “de-bug” them with insecticidal soap or horticulture oil before moving them into your home! Some plants are truly creatures of habit and may be a little finicky if you move them to a new location. Make the transition to a new area of your home a slow process.
Proper Lighting
Ideal lighting is one of the most essential factors for house plant growth. The intensity, duration and the quality of the light will influence the health, beauty, and flower production of your plant. House plants are generally classified and labeled according to their light requirements. Consider the direction that the window or door will face when positioning your plant. A southern exposure will have the most intense sun, east and western exposures receive about 50% less, and northern exposures will receive only about 10% of a southern exposure. The length of daylight hours will also influence many house plants. For example, Christmas cactus and poinsettia will generally flower when we have shorter daylight periods as they are photosensitive type plants. Study your plant to find out what type of light will enable it to perform its peak!
Water
Improper watering is probably the primary cause of a houseplant that looks peaked and eventually dies. Some people have difficulty determining when and how much to water their plants. The best gauge for determining the amount of available moisture in the soil, is to simply feel the soil with your index finger several inches below the soil surface every 4-5 days. If the soil feels moist, your plant has enough water until you check it again a few days later. If the soil is dry, it is always best to pour the water until it starts to come out the bottom of the pot (be sure you have a drip pan underneath). In most cases, it is better to error on the slightly dry side then to over water most plants.
Temperature
In general, most houseplants will perform well in average household temperatures ranging from around 70-76 degrees. Cooler nighttime temperatures from 60-68 degrees will prompt flowering house plants to bloom and enhance the quality and longevity of the blooming period. If possible, always try to keep the nighttime temperature around 8-12 degrees cooler at night.
Fertilizer
In general, most house plants will benefit from a complete fertilizer to improve health, vigor, and beauty. Fertilize more frequently (every 4-6 weeks) during the months when your plants growth habits are accelerating- from March- September with a complete, balanced fertilizer designed for houseplants. Check the label to make sure that the fertilizer has at least 20-30 percent slow release or water insoluble qualities. Some plants such as citrus, orchids, and palms would perform better if you fertilize them with a plant food that is specially designed for that plant!

Growing successful houseplants is not as difficult as many folks think. Study your plant and learn to understand what it likes and does not like. Once you have figured out what environment and maintenance practices make your plants happy, you will have house plants that will bring you pleasure for years to come!

Chris Cuozzo, owner of Freedom Lawns in Frederick, Maryland, has the pleasure of maintaining the lawns for the main parks of Frederick Maryland. After speaking with him he informed us of the rewards, difficulties and results he has seen while working on the grounds. One of the biggest difficulties he faces at Carroll Creek Park is having to work around the waterways in the park. “We are unable to fertilize near the water and have to stay about 20 feet back so that’s a challenge,” stated Cuozzo.

Another challenge he faces is having to use a Kawasaki Mule to get around instead of the normal Freedom Lawns van as the van doesn’t go down the paths. “Carroll Creek is also heavily populated so working around people serves to be a challenge as well,” added Cuozzo. Carroll Creek and the other parks he services are all around 80,000 feet including the semi pro football field he maintains. “We have seen amazing results while working on the city parks.

They were using TruGreen before and have been much more impressed with Freedom Lawns,” said Cuozzo. The town arborist is extremely friendly and makes sure he has everything he needs to get the job done. “Working with the town’s arborist has been wonderful. They appreciate the work we have done and have even recommended us to other locations around the city. It’s an honor to work with the city,” commented Cuozzo. 
Keep the kids off electronics and engaged during the holidays by having them do simple crafts like our stuffed paper apples!! Another way to make it fun is by having them make the apples pumpkins instead. Have them paint the "apple" orange and draw or paint a funny face! Happy crafting!
  1. First, cut up an old paper shopping bag so it’s flat.
  2. Make an apple tracer by drawing a large apple on an old manila file folder or other sturdy paper and cut it out. (Make sure it’s symmetrical. This will make it much easier when assembling the apple.)
  3. Help your child trace two apples (for the front and back) on the brown paper bag. Cut out the apples.
  4. Now it’s time to paint! Place your paint and sponges on the table. Put your cut-out apples onto some newspaper or other paper you don’t mind getting paint on.
  5. Sponge paint the apples!
  6. Set the apples aside to dry.
  7. Once the apples are dry, it’s time to stuff them! First, you’ll want to take the front and back of your apple and secure them together, leaving a little hole to stuff. You can secure them by either stapling around the apple’s edge or punching holes and having your child lace around the apple’s sides.
  8. Stuff your apple through the little hole you left. (You can use leftover crinkle cut paper or any type of torn up newspaper.)
  9. Once you’re done stuffing your apple, close the hole either by stapling it or finishing the lacing around the edge.
  10. Cut out a brown stem and green leaf from your construction paper and glue them to your apple. You’re finished!
· Pentas
· Snap Dragons
· Salvia
· Coneflower
· Dianthus
· Lenten Rose
· Sage
· Lantana
· Society Garlic
· Marigolds
· Dusty Miller
· Petunias
· Zenias

Mark A. Tamn CPAG NCCTP, NCCLP
Freedom Franchises, Inc.

Whether you believe that the warming temperatures in recent years are the result of human activity or just a climatic cycle that we’re going through, there is no doubt that temperatures worldwide have increased over recent years. The increase in concentrations of CO2 in our atmosphere have risen substantially, resulting in the trapping of solar heat. This warming trend has resulted in certain plants being able to adapt in areas of our country where they could not do so many years ago.

Some insects and diseases are also now being found in regions where in the past, their presence was unheard of! The good news is that your Freedom Lawn may play a significant role in the efforts to reduce the effects of global warming! Through the process of photosynthesis, grass plants take carbon dioxide out of the air and store the carbon in the soil. Recent university research has demonstrated that lawns can remove and store twice the amount of carbon from the air in one year than a tree can in 10 years!

It is estimated that there are over 80 million home lawns in the US covering an over 50 million acres of turfgrass. This results in a whopping 20 million tons of carbon being removed from our atmosphere in the US each year!

Producing and maintaining a healthy, awesome looking lawn is not only good for bragging rights in the neighborhood, but is also a nice contribution in our effort to reduce a carbon footprint!
Here are some interesting facts and tips you should know when dealing with mosquitoes around your home:

  • Only female mosquitoes bite.
  • Mosquitoes feast on blood to produce their eggs.
  • The saliva from the mosquito is what causes your bite to itch.
  • Although mosquitoes beat their wings fast, they are slow flying.
  • Mosquitoes are from as far back as the Triassic Period.
  • There are more than 3,500 species of mosquitoes.
  • Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest "animal" in the world.
  • Female mosquitoes can lay up to 300 eggs at a time.
  • The average mosquito lifespan is less than two months.
  • Mosquitoes don't have teeth.
  • To prevent mosquitoes around your home, be sure to empty and turn over any containers that could hold water.
  • Clear clogged rain gutters on your home to deter mosquitoes from breeding there.
Although not really a rose at all, Lenten roses are also known as Hellebores , and are a wonder perennial plant for those shaded or semi shaded areas that tend to stay moist. With some new more colorful cultivars recently released, the Hellebores is a terrific plant to perk up your landscape beds from winter through early summer. Plant them as a border or near the edge of a wooded or shaded area for a nice splash of color! Hellebores are deer resistant and require low maintenance. Here are a few of the newer varieties that produce more vivid color than the standard, green and purplish old time Lenten roses:

Wedding Party is an awesome mix of yellow, pink, white, purple and mauve flower. Each color producing an outstanding presence
in the early spring.
       
Flower Girl will add lots of color and character to your garden with various shades of pink, light purple, vanilla blush, ruffled petals, and yellow centered stamens.
Confetti Cake has bright white elegant petals and is decorated with burgundy speckles. The rich white blossoms will surely make a statement against a green background of foliage.
Oak trees take decades to mature and are 20-30 years old when they produce their first acorns. Most Oak trees are at their acorn producing peak at 50-80 years of age. After the oak reaches 80, acorn production generally begins to decline.