WE ARE QUITE BUSY PREPARING FOR SPRING

At the end of December we had snow and ice followed by heavy rain and wind. We have been kept busy cleaning up after the storms, as well as finishing up leaf clean-up, so that we can begin to prepare for spring. The weather this week looks quite wet, but less stormy, so hopefully we can get back to our winter service.

We often get asked: "What do you do in the winter?". Answer: We keep very busy preparing for spring!

Here are our winter priorities in preparation for spring:

Winter Turf Moss Control

With our dark wet winters, moss grows and thrives. We recommend treatment twice yearly, once in December or January and again in March or April. This keeps moss under control and allows the grass to survive and thrive. 

Winter Pruning

Pruning during the summer is mostly focused on managing the new growth. Winter pruning is more focused on structural and rejuvenation. These efforts help ensure the plants are ready for their spring growth flush.

Shrub Bed Clean-up

Following the messy fall and early winter, we perform a comprehensive raking and grooming of the shrub beds. This gets them ready for pre-emergence weed control application and re-barkdusting (if planned). 

Shrub Bed Pre-emergence

To prevent weed germination through the spring and summer, we treat all shrub bed areas with a pre-emergence product to keep weeds from germinating and getting established. This keeps our shrub beds clean of weeds through the summer.

Winter Pansy Maintenance

Due to our mild winter, most pansies are doing quite well. However, over the winter weeds will grow and

general debris will collect in these areas, which we will be weeding and cleaning. In addition, we treat our pansies monthly with fungicides to prevent disease. If you look around, you will see other contractor’s pansies infected with disease and starting to decline.

Winter Shrub Fertilization

Virtually all lawns, shrubs and trees get fertilized during the winter as this is the most important time.

It is not the most fun time to spend outdoors, but it's an important time for us to prepare to help ensure your landscape is beautiful and healthy this coming season.