For Your Turf:
- Mowing should occur weekly throughout the spring and summer season
averaging 28 cuts per season – (pending weather/precipitation) - Recommended height for lawnmower blade is 3″ – 3 1 /2″
- Seeding or sod installs are suggested for areas where grass has turned brown or is not growing in a healthy manner
(We would recommend fall, early spring, or both for best results) - Fertilization and weed control programs are recommended to maintain a healthy lawn
For Your Trees & Shrubs:
- All limbs should be kept off your property & buildings throughout the year
- Shrubs need to be pruned no less than twice per season
- All dead plant material should be removed immediately and replaced as soon as possible
- An Integrated Pest Management program (IPM) is recommended to keep insects and diseases from damaging your property’s trees and shrubs.
(This program will also prevent the spread of insects and diseases to neighboring properties)
For Your Mulch Beds & Tree Rings:
- Annual edging is recommended at a minimum
- 2 to 3 – inch depth of mulch should be maintained throughout the year around tree rings and beds
- Beds need to be weeded throughout the mowing season, no less than biweekly
For Your Fall Cleanup:
- Leaves, debris and any dead plants need to be removed from the property in the fall and spring
- Turf repair/seeding should be complete no later than October 1st
- Should perennials exist, these need to be maintained/cut back in the fall
- Remove and dispose of any summer annuals planted as they will not come back
- Split host as if they are big enough to create additional plants. They will continue to grow and spread year after year
- Plant bulbs! Fall flowers (such as pansies) give you the most bang for your buck as many of them will come back in the spring and stay healthy until the summer heat sets in
- Ornamental grasses can be cut back in the fall or in the spring (your preference)
- Complete final pruning of the season. Cut back deciduous shrubs (those that lose their leaves. These can be cut back drastically and will come back just fine next year.) Evergreens (green year round) should just be pruned to remove any new growth. Tree pruning is best once trees have lost their leaves (including any structural pruning, thinning, and removing dead limbs)
- Roses can be cut back. Once complete, put a light layer of straw or leaves around the base
(Be sure to remove this layer in the spring!) - Complete final mowing of the year at a mowing height of approximately 2.5″
(Cutting it shorter prior to the winter reduces threat of any damaging diseases) - Run the mower out of gas before storing it for the winter (and think about getting the blade sharpened for spring!)
- Complete a final lawn application that consists of fertilizer that will keep the grass healthy over the winter and reduce the amount of weeds that can germinate in the spring (Do this after final mowing)