Phone : Archive for the ‘Landscape Services’ Category
Fall Cleanup is Well Underway in the Midwest
November in the Midwest is time to clean up your landscape and gardens and get ready for winter. Most of the trees have dropped their leaves and it is time to clear them off your lawn. Leaves that are left on the landscape can cause damage to the grass and other vegetation. Mold and bugs can take up residence in leaves that are left on your lawn.
In addition to the critters that love the shelter of the leaves, they will also prevent your grass from getting the last of the sun in the fall and the first life giving rays in the spring. This will slow down or prevent your lawn from getting the sun and water that it needs to healthy start in the springtime.
Clean up of your landscape should also be underway in November. Pruning of trees and bushes is recommended at this time of year. Bugs and organisms that may move into the wounds created by pruning are at a minimum in the fall. If you are pruning a flowering tree, you should know if they set the buds in the fall or the spring. If they set in the fall, then this would not be a good time to trim those plants. A professional landscaper will know what can and what can’t be pruned in the fall.
Your flower and vegetable gardens should be cleaned up as well. Many plants such as lilies, roses, sage and other perennials should be trimmed and prepared for winter. Some plants will die back to the crown and the dead foliage should be removed to prevent disease and fungus to develop. Roses should be prepared depending on what type they are. Shrub roses and hybrid tea roses have different winter care needs and must be managed appropriately.
Fall in the Midwest is a beautiful time of year. If you would rather enjoy the fun the fall can offer instead of doing all of the fall clean up yourself, then call your landscape professional to get the job done.
When Do You Plant Spring Bulbs?
Many people may think that planting tulips, daffodils and other springtime flowers is done in the spring. It would make sense, but you would be sorely disappointed with the results. Tulips require a sustained cold dormant period in order to flower.
Spring flowers that need this type of cold dormant period are:
• Tulips
• Crocus
• Daffodil
• Hyacinth
• Winter Aconite
• Snow Drops
• Grape Hyacinths
You may find these in the springtime in pots at your local nursery, but that is only because they were refrigerated and forced to bloom. This is not practical in a landscape but is nice for some indoor color in the spring.
Planting bulbs for a landscape should be done with some forethought. There are many different types of spring flowers. Many of them bloom at different times. Planning what is best for your landscape situation and when and how long you want the blooms to last, takes some homework.
Knowing the bloom times and the full grown height along with the color scheme you want is critical in having a springtime garden that will be a delight.
Businesses know that their landscape is many times the first impression that their customers have of their business. Real estate agents know how important that curb appeal is for a home owner to sell a home. Spring bulbs can start that beautiful impression early. Correctly planned, you can have color in your landscape from March until November using spring bulbs as your start.
Planting spring bulbs isn’t the most enjoyable of the gardening tasks. It is usually cold out and the bulbs need to be planted deeply. This is a gardening task that you may want to have a professional landscaper help you with. The professional landscaper has the tools and the know how to get this job done quickly and done right.
If you are looking to plant tulips and other spring bulbs that will bring color and life to your spring landscape, call your professional landscaper to talk about the possibilities for your
Tree Management After a Drought
Many trees have experienced an extreme amount of stress during the summer of 2012. The drought has had a great impact on the health of the trees in Janesville, Beloit and surrounding areas. This drought has been the final blow to many of the already weaken trees.
Here are a couple of tips for tree management.
1.) Make sure that your trees get at least one inch of water per week for the rest of the season. If Mother Nature doesn’t provide it with rain, then you will need to water. If the rain cooperates for the rest of the season, then you may not have to water.
2.) Check your tree for insect infestation. If your tree has been stressed too far and is weak, then you may have insects doing further damage. There are some treatments that you can use to get pesticides into your tree to protect from further damage if it has not gone too far. If you have an Ash tree, check for Emerald Ash Borer. This menacing insect has been found in the Rock County area. If your tree has been infested, you must remove the tree and dispose of the wood properly. This should be done by a professional who knows the proper procedure. Here is a link to with the State of Wisconsin for further information on the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).
3.) DO NOT TRIM your dead branches off until after the first frost. You must eventually get them trimmed, but this is really an opportunity for the bugs to get into the tree. It is best to wait until the bugs are at a low population to trim your branches off.
4.) Cut down the tree that is past the point of return, or nearly so. Even if the tree is still hanging on, but barely, it will probably not survive. The weak limbs can become a risk for coming down during a storm. Also weak trees are an invitation for bugs to take up residence and destroy them even further. If the tree is one that is something you really don’t want to put effort into saving, it is best to cut down and replant. If you do want to save your tree, you may want to consider consulting a certified arborist to see what it would take to save the tree if at all possible.
The drought of 2012 has been substantial and has impacted many aspects of your landscape. Call a professional like Joe Rebout’s Complete Lawn Care and Snow Removal to restore your landscape after the drought.
Commercial Landscape
Is there a difference between commercial landscape and your lawn at home? You probably never really thought about it unless you are the one in charge of taking care of your business landscape and commercial lawn care. If you are the person in charge you know that the answer to this question is a big YES!!! There is a huge difference.
Depending on the size of your business you may have just a small space or have and entire campus to care for. Either way, the approach and methods used in commercial landscaping is different than for a residential lawn. Installation, management and maintenance are a very important. Your commercial landscaper should be educated in these areas so that they can help to make your job easier.
Your landscape outside your business says a lot to your potential customers. For them, you would love to throw caution to the wind and have a drop dead gorgeous landscape. But that would probably break the budget, and as we all know, that is reality. So what do you do? With the help of a commercial landscaper you can plan your landscape to be attractive and easy to care for. By planning carefully, you can keep the maintenance costs in check and perhaps put a little more into the overall appeal of your landscape.
There are some simple things such as using commercial grade landscape fabric to prevent weeds from cropping up in your flower beds. Deep trenching around those beds, using plenty of the proper mulch and weed control can help reduce your maintenance cost. Choosing plants that will be attractive, yet will tolerate drought or heat, or installing a watering system to reduce the need to pay labor to water will pay off in the long run.
Another key to a great landscape for your business is your turf. Cutting the grass to the correct length and properly timed is imperative. But that is not all that is necessary. A program for fertilization and weed control will keep your lawn growing healthy and stay beautiful without a lot of extra manpower.
A quality commercial landscaper will be able to help you plan and maintain a landscape to beautify your business and help you stay within budget. Your customer’s impression of your business campus can actually have an impact on your bottom line. If they feel that you take care of your assets, then they very well may have a positive attitude before they even step into your front door.
Spring Garden Clean Up in Janesville Wisconsin
Spring is such a wonderful time of year. The tulips and daffodils are in bloom. The lilac tree is ready to burst in bloom with a fragrance that is simply springtime in Janesville, Wisconsin. But along with the spring blooms comes the reality that you need to get your gardens cleaned up and ready to go. It won’t be long before the Hostas begin poking their green leaves through the remnants of last year’s leaves and dead plant material. Early spring is the perfect time to get in and get last year’s leaves out of your gardens. If you wait too long you will be trying to sneak between the plants so that you don’t hurt the new growth.
Spring garden clean up also can be the time to get your vegetable garden ready. If you are going to plant cool weather crops such as cabbage, peas or Cole crops such as broccoli or cauliflower, then you will need to get your soil prepared as early as you can. There is still a possibility of a freeze, but these crops usually aren’t affected.
Janesville is right on the border of the 5a and 5b zones on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map. This makes a big difference in how early you can get your plants in your gardens. Starting out with plants that can tolerate the cold nights is a good start for those of us who can’t wait to get into the garden.
Cleaning up your garden isn’t always the fun part. You may want to call a professional landscaper to clean it up right and get your bushes trimmed and your brush cleaned out. Let a landscaper do the hard part and you can do the planting and enjoying part!
Spring garden cleanup in Janesville is also the time to test your soil and determine what kind of fertilizer you will need for what you want to grow. It’s a great time to add a little more organic matter to your soil so that your soil can get the best benefit out of the spring rains.
Springtime is also the best time of year to consider your watering source for your gardens. Spring is a great time to set up a rain barrel to collect water for your gardens. While you are thinking about your spring garden clean up, also think about using this valuable spring resource to get you at least part way through the summer. Your garden will love you for it!
The Benefits of Sod for Your Lawn
Sod can create an instant, beautiful lawn for a homeowner or business. It can be the perfect solution in many situations. To create a beautiful plush lawn, the sod must be properly installed and maintained.
There are considerations in preparation for laying sod for your new lawn. Do you have an existing lawn to remove before you install a sod lawn? If so, you must be very careful how this is done. Killing the old, perhaps weedy lawn can make it more difficult than laying sod in a newly construction landscape.
Do you want to install an irrigation system for your lawn? Before you put in the sod is the time to do this. Putting in an irrigation system will help with the watering that will be needed whenever you install sod or plant new grass. It will also help keep your sod in pristine condition when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating with the natural watering system.
What type of grass do you want? You may want to consult a professional landscaper to find out what sod works best for your lawn. Do you have a lot of shade or sun? The microclimate of your particular land may need to be taken into consideration when choosing the type of sod that will grow best in your lawn.
How is sod installed? The sod comes in pieces that must be place together. Tightly fitting the pieces together will make a dramatic difference in the success of your lawn. If the pieces of sod are not fitted together properly, you may end up with weeds poking their ugly little heads up along the seams.
Some areas may need to be pinned down until the sod has taken root to the soil below. This is particularly critical if there is a slope or a hill in the landscape. Also if the area you are placing the sod on becomes extremely wet, the sod may slide or float apart. A professional lawn care firm can identify and address the problem areas that may need to be pinned down.
Creating a beautiful lawn with sod is only a phone call away. Let Joe Rebout’s Complete Lawn Care and Snow Removal help you create a beautiful lawn. We service Janesville, Beloit, Milton, Rock County and surrounding communities.
How do you know if the company you’ve chosen is reputable?
Through the many years of managing a business and interacting with the business world I’ve often wondered how people choose a company to work. I have been “lucky” to have had the majority of my experience with other companies be pleasant. But is it luck?…… Actually no, no matter how small or big a project I had done I have always used an elimination method to make sure I choose a company that is capable of meeting my expectations. Most of what I do is common sense, but you may not think to do it before making a decision, which can be costly in the end. Here are some steps to follow to increase the chances of having the best possible outcome.
1. Always ask for references- try to get referrals from family and friends when possible. If you do request and receive referrals don’t be afraid to use them and don’t be afraid not to. Sometimes all it takes is the request to tell if the service provider is reputable. If they have no references it may be a red flag, ask questions to determine the reason why the information is not available.
2. Don’t choose a company just because they’re the cheapest- Ask yourself why they may be cheaper than other companies. Is it an unrealistic number, and in the long run you’ll spend more because the company is not efficient or reliable? Are you comparing apples to apples, is one company offering services that the other is not?
3. Ask if the company has liability insurance- God forbid something goes wrong, but if it does you will be at ease knowing the company providing the service has the adequate insurance to cover damages. Not only should a company have general liability insurance but they should also have commercial auto insurance and workers compensation insurance if they have employees. This will also tell you how reputable and legit the company is. Insurance is an expensive costs incurred by companies, but not having it can be a bigger costs….not only to the business owner but also to the customer
4. Take a look at the companies work previously performed- this goes along with requesting references. When you have a specialty service or detailed project make sure you know the company is knowledgeable and has performed the services before. Ask for pictures or examples, they’re suppose to be the experts, not you. The last thing you want is a trial and error project-Make sure your getting what your paying for
5. Lastly, ask questions, ask questions, ask questions. It doesn’t hurt to be more informative, that way you both know exactly what you want.
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