Heritage Lawns and Irrigation

Many people don’t think about their outdoor plants until springtime, but many trees and shrubs should be pruned during the winter before new growth begins.  February and March are the best months of the entire year to prune fruit, flowering, and shade trees. Pruning in late winter or very early spring keeps you from inadvertently cutting off growing branches. If you wait till spring after new growth has started, you could damage the plant.  Food stored in the roots and stem is used to develop new growth.  This food should be replaced by new foliage before it is removed.  If it is not, dwarfing of the plant may occur.                                                                                                                        

Forsythia, quince, spirea and other early spring flowering shrubs should be pruned a little later, after they have finished flowering. You can even cut a few branches early and force them into early bloom in warm water.

Pruning is done for four main reasons:                                                                                   

To train the plant

To maintain plant health                                                                                                              

To improve the quality of flowers, fruit, foliage or stems

To restrict growth 

The rules of pruning vary with different plants.  But there are some main rules to follow.  You should always prune damaged or dead parts to avoid additional insect and disease problems that may develop.  You should not prune in late summer as this may encourage new growth that won’t have time to harden off before cold weather arrives and could result in damage or even death to the plant.    

Here are some general pruning tips that will help:                                                           

1. First remove all dead, broken, diseased or problem limbs by cutting them at the point of origin or back to a strong lateral branch (a branch originating from the main trunk).                          

2. Next make training cuts.  By cutting back lateral branches, you help to train the tree or shrub to maintain its natural shape.                                                                                                       

3. Eliminate weak or narrow crotches and if there are two main leaders, eliminate the weaker of the two. Also eliminate branches that cross over each other as rubbing can cause damage and invite disease.                                                                                                                                       

4. Remove water sprouts (the sprouts that grow next to the trunk).                                                     

5. Take a step back and assess your work.  If you’ve removed a large amount of wood, further pruning may have to be delayed until next year.

Prairie vole

vole runs in lawn

Vole damage on small tree

  We are seeing a lot more Vole damage this year than in years past. These small runways in the lawn can be a little alarming because in some cases they are very extensive.  We always see a little vole damage in areas near green spaces or tall grass areas but this year it is much more wide spread and extensive.  Most of this increase is attributed to the extended snow cover we had this winter. 

  The culprit is this little field mouse looking critter called a prairie vole.   These guys are vegitarians and feed on grass shoots and bark of young trees and shrubs.  Most of the time this isn’t a problem as most of the feeding is spread out and not in one place.  But during heavy, extended snow fall periods the feeding area is concentrated to the runways under the snow and around the base of small trees and shrubs.

 The good news bad newspart.  The good news is that the runs in the lawn will grow out as soon as the lawn come out of dormancy.  Their feeding doesn’t damage the crown of the grass plant.  Some light raking with a leaf rake will clean up the mess and when the turf starts growing it will fill in.  The bad news is for the trees and shrubs.  If the vole has gnawed completely around the branch or trunk it will girdle it, cutting the flow of nutrients off from the roots to the top and that branch or tree will die.  It may leaf out with the rest of the plants but it will wilt and die shortly after.  The only thing to do is to prune out the branch or remove the tree.

I don’t know if you caught the article in the KCH&G January/February issue, but it featured Todd and Donna Kunkel’s beautiful back yard.  I wanted to share some of the photos with you because they are just incredible.  Meandering paths invite you to follow and around every corner is an eye-catching surprise.  From urns exploding with color to the carefully chosen architectural elements to the enchanting patio, this back yard begs to be explored.  The Kunkel’s garden holds a breathtaking variety of flowers, bushes and trees.  From conical evergreens to sprawling and colorful tropical plants, it seems they have come together from different worlds to celebrate their diversity. We take care of the lawn and trees for the Kunkels making sure they’re just as perfect as the rest of their botanically abundant landscape.  We also maintain their sprinkler system.  We are all eagerly anticipating spring, so enjoy the photos and let them inspire you to create beautiful settings in your own back yard.

Winterize Your Sprinkler System News Story

 What happens if you forget to winterize your sprinkler system?  Well, if the winter was cold enough (and it usually is) the water that was left in the pipes will freeze and expand and many times, it will result in burst pipes.  The problem is that people don’t know it until they turn the system back on inthe spring.  Many times they end up with geysers in their yards.  (See the news story above of a manwho had just this problem).  If you have sprinkler system problems, call us for repairs. 

 Check out our $25 Sprinkler Startup Special when you purchase a 3-step maintenance plan.  That way, you’ll never have to worry about your sprinkler system again.  We’ll get it sarted in the spring, take care of any problems during sprinkler season and winterize it for the winter season.  This introductory offer is good for new customers only and expires May 31st.  See the coupon in Angie’s List.

Our approach is completely different from the traditional lawn care companies.  Most companies start with the grass and work their way down.  We start with the soil and work our way up.  If the soil isn’t balanced, all you’re doing is treating symptoms.  Think about it.  Most lawn care companies spray the weeds, come back and spray more weeds and come back again for a final spray.  They’re just treating the symptoms.  At Heritage, we ask, “Why was that weed there in the first place?” 

It’s all part of our Eco-Pride system.  We take soil samples to determine what your lawn is lacking.  That’s where we start.  We add what your soil needs and yes, we spray for weeds.  The difference is, with our Eco-Pride system, the soil gets balanced, the turf gets thicker and the weeds get choked out naturally.  That’s the best long-term weed control strategy.  Because your lawn gets healthier and thicker, we use fewer and fewer chemicals and that’s better for your lawn, your family, the environment and the world.  So if you’re ready to break out of the “See the Weed, Spray the Weed, Repeat” cycle, try Heritage Lawns.