Prime's Clippings August 2018

How 'bout a cactus flower to "celebrate" this awful summer

The Drought Continues Most of the metroplex had a decent shower July 30th, but it was just the proverbial drop in a bucket. And how many other places celebrate a week when the highs won’t get above 99? Well, we will take whatever blessings we can get this year. We started this summer without our usual rainy May, and high temperatures set in early. We broke several record highs in July, including some record high lows—meaning our plants didn’t get much of a break even at night. This is one of those summers that has been hard on new plants and those that prefer moist conditions. And it is difficult at best to deeply soak new plants using just your sprinkler system. Getting a water hose out to apply some TLC regularly has been the only way to get most new plantings through their first summer this year. Griping about this drought brings up another point to consider: Our best planting season is just a month or two away. I know it is hard for the typical gardener to get spring fever in the fall, but once our hot dry weather breaks we will have several months of ideal planting conditions for most shrubs, trees, and ornamentals. We normally have cooler temperatures and regular rainfall starting in October and lasting through the winter. Although the plant above ground may not show signs of growth, the roots will be growing and establishing, giving the plant a better chance for surviving next year’s dry spell. So enjoy the pool or the lake and keep your hose handy for another month. Then plan ahead for your fall plantings! 114 degrees- not what you want to see at the end of a long day... Time To Treat For Grub Worms August is the time of year to treat for grub worms. Most of our grub damage is brought on by the larva of the June beetle. Peak flights of the June beetle occur in mid May to mid June and eggs hatch about 1 month later. Grubs are easiest to kill at this early stage of their growth due to the fact that they are closer to the soil surface. Not every yard will have a large enough population to cause damage, but if you have had one in the past you may be in a location that is prone to infestation. Lawns close to street lights where June bugs gather are often hit, and ironically they often attack well watered lush lawn when soil is soft and food (roots) are abundant. They can do serious damage to turf over the next two months. Treatments for most residential lawns start at just $48.00 (up to 5000 sq. ft., prices based on sq. footage of turf, call or email us for more information)  This many grubs in 1 square foot of soil is enough to do serious damage... How Sprinkler Heads Get Hit By Mowers “Your guys hit my sprinkler head with the mower”! Believe me, neither one of us wants to hear that. Our crews mow over 300 acres of lawn each week, passing over thousands of sprinkler heads without a problem. And there is the key- sprinklers are designed and installed as underground systems. A properly installed head should be at or just above grade, and a properly functioning head will retract back into the ground after it waters. In both cases, a lawn mower cannot damage a head that is working properly. Over time, several factors affect sprinkler head performance and may render the head subject to accidental breakage. The seal around the riser hardens with time and springs wear out preventing retraction. Soils settle and move, sometimes leaving the head sitting too high. Heads also sink or have dirt build up around them, leaving the head below grade. This is very common and allows dirt to seep into the head around the seal. This grit causes the nozzle to stick in the up position or not retract fully, leaving the nozzle just high enough to be clipped by a mower, but not high enough to be seen. Tree roots may develop under a head and as they grow they may push the head up, and eventually it will be high enough to snag a mower deck. Heads along the sidewalk, curb, or driveway are supposed to be 2-4 inches away from the concrete. Over time they may shift or settle at an angle and touch the concrete leaving no room for the lawn edger blade to pass by. All of these issues are just routine maintenance and service work that must be performed when the problem occurs, and are not the fault of the equipment operator. Very rarely can you see the head in the tall grass before you hit it with a mower or edger. We will always charge a discounted rate to repair a head that is hit by one of our mowing crews, but please remember that it is not the fault of the mowing service when a sprinkler head is struck.

August Chores Mow weekly and do not bag clippings Hand water newly planted areas & trees Watch for dry spots and chinch bugs in turf Check and adjust sprinkler systems Mulch beds  Treat for grub worms Toby, star of this year's HOT new reality show, "The Dog Days of Summer" Our goal is to fulfill the needs of the customer by providing timely, quality services and products. Thanks for your business!

Prime's Clippings May 2018

Oenothera speciosa Evening Primrose One of our beautiful local wildflowers

Not many shower, but plenty of May flowers Despite a few heavy rains, April was below average for rainfall across most of the Metroplex, but our roadside wildflowers have still put on a pretty good show. It seems every year a different plant may dominate. This year I noticed some incredible displays of Blue eyed grass and Texas blue star.Blue bonnets and paintbrushes will transition to Indian blankets, verbena, bee balm, and other warm weather flowers in our fields and roadsides. May is a great time for road trips to take in our beautiful wildflower shows.May is historically our rainiest month, but can also be our stormiest with hail and tornados. Lets hope for more rain and less storms. Leave sprinklers off until rains disappear for a week or more, but keep an eye on any new plants. We will be jumping 90 degree afternoons soon, and we have been in a windy pattern that can wilt newly planted flowers in just a day or so.Cool nights and frequent rains can bring on fungal problems like leaf spot on hawthorns and photinias but we should celebrate rain and all the cool weather we can get before summer sets in. May is the month for yard work May may be the busiest month for yard work. As the weather warms and rain normally abounds, lawns finally kick into high gear. Along with weeds, new growth on shrubs and trees, insects, pollen in the air, lions and tigers and bears—Oh My! It can be hard to keep up. Here is a list of some of the chores to get to in the next 30 days: Fertilize lawns now and treat any remaining broadleaf weeds. Mow weekly. Letting grass get too tall between cuttings is hard on the grass and your equipment.  Fertilize spring flowering shrubs after they finish blooming. Watch for fungal leaf spot and treat as needed. Trim shrubs, each according to it’s needs. Remove rosette infected rose bushes. Apply baits or season-long controls like Top Choice for fire ants. Trim limbs that have suddenly become too low due to the heavy flush of new growth. Plant summer flowers like pentas, zinnias, etc. It is a little early for periwinkles but we are planting if requested. Cool wet weather can cause fungal problems. Poison Ivy and Other Spring Surprises Poison ivy is abundant in our area, and most folks already know if they are allergic to it. Yes, that is correct. Not everyone reacts to exposure. I personally can rub it on my face with no ill effects, but some folks have to get cortisone shots or may even get a serious skin infection from scratching when they are covered with pustules. If you are not sure of your sensitivity, the best thing to do is avoid it. Poison ivy is a woody vine that may climb trees, fences, or any vertical structure. A mature vine may be several inches thick and can be confused for a small tree. The easiest identifier is the 3 leaves with lobed margins. Poison ivy produces white berries in late season and may turn a vivid red in the fall. Blackberry vines are also similar, but of course have thorns. Pretty well unmistakable. Blackberries may also have 4 and 5 leaves. There are several copycats that are harmless and easy to differentiate with just a little practice. The first and most often mistaken is Virginia creeper. Grows in the same places and with the same habit with one BIG exception—5 leaves! A real trickster is the boxelder tree. Young boxelder seedlings look just like poison ivy except for the green stem and fact that they will grow into trees. Cow itch vine is another to avoid. Just like poison ivy it may cause severe itching but does not affect everyone. It is actually in the grape family whereas poison ivy is in the Sumac family. Notice the three leaves? Much more deeply lobed, but still 3 leaves. This vine has an unpleasant odor when crushed, one more sign telling you to steer clear. Bull nettle may be found in numerous places and you may encounter on a hike or nature walk, but occasionally a bird might plant a seed in your garden. This is a vicious plant which creates a burning inflammation. Like a thistle, you can pretty well determine by appearance that it is not to be messed with. Interestingly though, it produces a tasty nut if you are brave enough to harvest it.  My dad used to take me in the woods with thick leather gloves to pick and clean the nuts. I haven’t eaten one in a long time. There are certainly easier nuts to pick! Now for plants that are commonly planted in the home garden. There is no reason to fear toxic plants, but it is always good to have some knowledge of them. It is rare for a dog or child to consume a poisonous plant but it can happen. Carolina jessamine is a beautiful yellow spring blooming vine, but all parts are poisonous and some folks even have a skin reaction to the sap if they get it on them when trimming. Common shrubs that are poisonous include hydrangeas, with their huge blooms, oleanders, yews, and even our azaleas. Narcissus, daffodil, and hyacinth are all poisonous. Ironically, tulip bulbs are not poisonous and have been eaten during hard times by many different peoples. You should not eat elephant ears or caladiums either, but then surely you have better things to do. Knowledge is power. So before you start thinking about yanking plants you have had for years because you just found out they are poisonous, remember that even the mighty oak and it’s acorns are toxic. Now you can process acorns to make them edible, but again, surely you have better things to do! May Chores Mow weekly Finish planting spring flowers Mulch beds Treat for fireants Our goal is to fulfill the needs of the customer by providing timely, quality services and products. Thanks for your business!

Prime's Clippings April 2018

Enjoying a Great Spring 

April began with a beautiful spring morning followed by a cold front that dropped us into the low 40s Monday morning. For folks like me that planted tomatoes and peppers this weekend I hope you remembered to cover them!

The heavy rains have got us off to a good start on watering in new plants but that also means the weeds are happy. Remember that most of the weeds you see now will burn out as it warms up, and broadleaf weed killers will control a lot of our problems. But most weed controls do not work overnight as advertisers like to claim. Weed management depends on many factors—temperature, growth stage of plant, etc, and is an on-going process.

Trees are budding and some are making messes dropping their leaves (live oaks), seeds or tassels, spring flowering shrubs are in bloom, and bugs of every denomination are starting to bug everyone. No complaints here though, this is a magical time of year in north Texas.

April is absolutely the busiest month of the year for gardening, so please be patient with us if we can’t always get right to you. We promise to do our best!

Shades of Purple 

You can’t help but notice some of the beautiful lavenders and blues that make their appearance in the spring. Here are a few of my favorites.

Texas Mountain Laurel Sophora secundiflora 

Native to the hill country, this small tree will grow here if planted with good drainage and a little northern protection. The blooms are sweetly fragrant.

Purple oxalis Oxalis triangularis 

This purple shamrock is a wonderful border for shade gardens.

Chinese wisteria 

If you have the right space and time for an aggressive vine, the reward is a beautiful show in spring.

Iris

So many varieties, so little time to identify each one that a friend has given you. Better to just enjoy. 

Time for Summer Color 

Start making plans now for your summer color. The petunias we recently planted will make a for a big show through May. If you are a petunia person you will need to swap them out for hot weather plants like lantana or periwinkles in early June. But if you just have pansies or nothing at all in your beds then you can start planting many summer flowers now.

So many choices, but low maintenance plants that are not finicky are a big factor for most of us. Few people have the time or inclination to constantly check and treat for insects or diseases, and we need plants that can outlast a long summer season with extreme temperatures. So with this demanding criteria, here are some proven winners.

Full sun or afternoon sun areas: 

Lantana is hands-down the toughest choice for high heat, and the absolute best choice for dryer beds. Some folks think lantana can get a little unruly, but there are new compact dwarf varieties that really perform and grow only to about 12 inches.

For big accents use purple fountain grass, esperanza, sun coleus, or tropical hibiscus.

Scaevola is a great trailing plant in lavender or white, and Blackfoot daisy is a fragrant mounding/trailing plant—both great for rock walls, containers or borders.

Pentas are another heat lover with few problems

Periwinkles love the heat but cannot be planted here until about mid-may due to pythium and rhizoctonia root rot when nights are cool or it is too wet. Dwarf zinnias can have similar issues if planted too early.

Sweet potato vines are another great accent as long as you have the space for them or the time to periodically cut them back, and artemesias such as Dusty Miller or Powis Castle provide silvery foliage. Sunpatiens are a sun tolerant variety of impatiens and perform well with adequate water, but are usually quite a bit pricier.

Other choices for sun include Angelonia, Torenia, Salvia—both perennial and annual types, Blue Daze, Moss Rose, and Purslane. Bronze begonias tolerate sun or shade so are great for those places that go in and out of the sun, but they struggle with uneven moisture, and with twice a week water restrictions it can be hard to keep them looking good in July-August.

Shade areas: 

In the shade, caladiums and begonias are king with impatiens close behind.

Impatiens need a little light to look good all summer. In heavy shade they tend to get leggy in July-August.

Caladiums also need consistent water. You can also use foliage plants like shade coleus, Japanese painted fern, alternanthera, or lamium.

And Dragon wing begonias rule!

Annual Backflow Testing

Did you know we provide Backflow testing and certification for commercial and residential clients in the greater Dallas Fort Worth area?

Backflow is a term in plumbing for an unwanted flow of water in the reverse direction and it can pose a serious health risk to our potable water supply. Backflow prevention devices come in the form of automatic check valves which are installed on plumbing lines. In the event of floods or other plumbing failures, the devices prevent contaminated water from flowing back up the lines and into the clean water supply.

Many cities in the metroplex already require annual testing of backflow devices and many more are implementing similar regulations in the next few years... so don't be too surprised when you get your  notice in the mail!

We test, service, and install most backflow devices, including double check valves (DCs, DCAs), reduced pressure zone devices (RPZs, RPs, RPPs, RPPDs), and pressure vacuum breakers, PVBs.

For 2018 our annual backflow tests start at $85 per device plus any required city fees, if applicable. We also offer bulk discounts for multiple devices. Our licensed irrigation techs can usually get you scheduled within 24-48 hours and we are happy to provide same day service when possible.

If you've got water lines, you've probably got backflow devices, and when your backflow devices need testing, pick up the phone and call Prime Landscape Services at (817)461-4000... or email us!

Prime's Clippings March 2018

The beautiful bloom of the flowering quince

Winter Wrapping Up with Heavy Rains A pretty decent winter is wrapping up with several days of cold torrential rains after 3 months of fairly dry conditions. The cool evenings look to persist and the likelihood of a March freeze still holds true for another 20 days. You might be ready for spring, but plant tomatoes at your own risk! The recent rain was sorely needed, but just wait for a few warm sunny days and weeds will explode onto the scene. Pre-emergent applications from the fall were pretty effective this year. We are applying broadleaf control for plants like dandelion and henbit now and applying pre-emergent to reduce the upcoming summer weeds like crabgrass. Remember though that any of these winter weeds that have begun flowering will take at least 2 weeks and 2 applications to control. Our crews are busy wrapping up the spring cut-back of roses, perennials, and grasses, and it is already time to fire up the mowers and get your lawn cut down a few notches. So here is our annual reminder: If you are not on a year-round contract, please let us know when you are ready for mowing. If you did not place your service on hold over winter, we will start mowing in the first two weeks of March. We don’t want you to wonder where we are, but we also don’t want to start before you are ready. There may be a little freeze damage this year to sensitive plants, but nothing has really stood out. We recommend mowing down Asian jasmine and liriope groundcovers now to remove brown tips and give them a fresh start. Now is the time for fire ant control that is guaranteed all season, and dormant oil and systemic pesticide applications for the crape myrtle scale that is devastating crapes must be made now! Ready or not, spring is on the way! Rainy Weather Promises a Bumper Crop of Fire Ants Fire ants are the most annoying pest of all. They do millions of dollars in damage each year to electrical equipment and agriculture, and swarm out when disturbed to inflict painful bites on children, pets, and unsuspecting gardeners. Fire ants can migrate miles when swarming and tunnel up to 20 feet deep! Eradication is not possible, but you can fight the good fight. We offer two fire ant programs. One is the Texas Two Step program recommended by Texas A&M. We broadcast a bait product throughout your property and use a contact insecticide on visible mounds. This will need to be done 3-4 times a year. Baits offer the lowest environmental impact and cost, but are slow acting and do not guarantee control. We also offer a season-long product that we apply over the entire property. It will eliminate existing colonies and create a barrier to prevent new swarms from moving in. When done in March—April we guarantee control for 8 months! Prices start at just $20 each for the Texas Two Step treatments when done with your regular lawn applications and $155 one time for the guaranteed annual service.  Pond Clean-out Season Begins String algae is the bane of pond owners. As much as we love our beautiful water features, we equally despise string algae. Since aquatic plants have not come out of dormancy and cool water temperatures reduce the bacteria colonies in your filters and gravel, conditions are optimal for the growth of string algae. Algae is a natural, healthy organism in any natural water feature, but it can bloom suddenly in a matter of days and become unsightly. We start our annual clean outs this month, changing the water, washing down the gravel and removing the sludge, cleaning the filters, trimming and thinning out water plants, and changing the water to get your pond started on the right foot for spring. Give us a call to book your spot for your spring clean out! A Crape Myrtle Mystery I observed these strange patterns covering several trunks on a crape myrtle. Was this crape abducted and tortured by aliens? Did a drunken tattoo artist mistake a crape myrtle for an arm? If you read my article on crape myrtles last month and note the blackened bark in this picture, you can already guess the answer. These are the marks left from where scale insects had attached themselves and fed on the crape. They fell off in the hard freezes leaving these strange striations.

March Chores Mow 1-2 notches lower Mulch beds Make last major pruning changes to overgrown shrubs Prune low limbs on trees  Prune dormant perennials and fountain grasses Plant and transplant trees and shrubs Apply pre-emergent and broadleaf herbicides Change water and clean water gardens and koi ponds Our goal is to fulfill the needs of the customer by providing timely, quality services and products. Thanks for your business! John Hoover General Manager

Prime's Clippings February 2018

70 Degrees on January 31... Deja vu! Three years in a row now I have mentioned that January was ending with highs in the seventies! I guess Texas weather is consistent year after year—Ha! But even the freezes have been somewhat similar to last year with two really hard ones and freeze burn on a lot of plants. We are running a rain deficit again too, and that makes it hard on shrubs, flowers, and even St. Augustine when we get these 12-15 degree cold snaps. Winter is nowhere near over, so pay attention and water before the next hard freeze. The dry conditions and cold snaps have kept winter weeds at bay. No, it was not just our great pre-emergent applications - weather is the biggest factor. As soon as we get some rain expect to see henbit and other cool weeds start to show. We are busy putting out our first winter weed application to try and keep the lawns pristine. Our crews are busy cutting back roses, perennials, and grasses, so please let us know if you are not already on a regular schedule for these chores. It is easy to get spring fever in February when we have these balmy afternoons, but don’t get too carried away. There will be more winter yet.    Our Annual Mulch Special Continues Through February Mulching your beds is absolutely the best thing you can do for the health of your soil and plants. Remember: mulch reduces weeds, improves soil structure, conserves moisture, protects plants from extreme cold and summer heat, and gives your beds a neat appearance. How much do I need? We recommend adding 2” to existing mulch or 3” to un-mulched areas. A 2 cu ft bag will cover about 10 sq ft 2” deep or 7 sq ft 3” deep Take Advantage Now! Mention our newsletter for 15% off normal prices.  Prices Include Delivery and Installation!  (extra charges may apply for bed weeding or leaf clean-ups if needed)  DISCOUNTED PRICES: Hardwood: $5.50 per 2 cu ft bag Dark brown, enriches soil as it decomposes Cedar: $6.00 per 2 cu ft bag Great cedar smell, lighter color, lasts longer Red or Black Mulch: $6.00 per bag For a decorative look   A Serious Problem For Crape Myrtles Crape myrtles are a wonderfully versatile shrub or small tree that has been widely planted in north Texas for perhaps as many as a hundred years and with good reasons. They are well suited to the climate and soils of a large part of Texas and have had only minor pest and disease issues. However, there is a type of felt or bark scale that first appeared around 2004 and is doing serious damage to our crapes. Look for a black (sooty mold) coating on the bark of the trunk and on the branches. The insects appear as white, waxy encrustations likely to occur anywhere on the plant. Larger female scales “bleed” a pink liquid when crushed. Careful examination may reveal dozens of pink eggs under some of the larger white scale covers. The best research has found that dormant oil sprayed before the leaves emerge and a systemic insecticide containing imacloprid will need to be applied in spring and possibly 1-2 more times through the season. On small crapes with minor infestations you can also wash and rub the scale off with soapy water. Anytime we are trying to control an undesirable insect pest we must consider the negative impact on beneficial insects, especially honeybees and those that prey on the target pest. This is called IPM, integrated pest management. The twice-stabbed lady beetle is a natural predator of scale insects. A&M found that the dormant oils and systemic insecticides had the least impact on beneficials. And contact insecticides not only kill more beneficials, they also are not as effective after the scale has matured and developed it’s waxy armor. The scale nymphs will begin crawling in early April and then attach and begin feeding. They become covered with a waxy shell and may have up to 4 generations of eggs in a season. After hatching, the tiny crawlers emerge from under the scale and spread out on the same plant, or are windblown or travel on birds to other plants. The scale detracts from the beauty of the crape, diminishes it’s vigor, and reduces blooming. The weakened plants may become stressed enough to die. If you have noticed these symptoms or are concerned that your crapes may become infected, call for an evaluation and treatment plan. We need to apply dormant oil and insecticide within the next two months to be most effective.   Spring Scents Are Just a Few Weeks Away Yes, it is still winter and we don’t need to get ahead of ourselves. But in just a few weeks you may be able to catch the smell of spring in the air. We have several plants that will begin blooming as early as mid-February, and many have a wonderful fragrance. Daffodils, jonquils, hyacinths, and paperwhites will be in bloom soon, and some varieties are heavily scented. Paperwhites are often forced and sold as indoor blooming plants, but several will naturalize here and the perfume is almost overwhelming. Some of our flowering trees will bloom by early March, and our native Mexican Plum is among the earliest and most fragrant. Chaenomeles japonica, or flowering quince, is a rather homely shrub best suited in the back of the bed, but it is covered with beautiful red, pink, or white blooms in February-March with a soft scent. Old fashioned forsythia is a cheerfully yellow harbinger of spring that will also delight your nose. Winter flowering honeysuckle, Lonicera fragrantissima, is a deciduous shrub that produces sweetly scented white flowers in February, and Jasminum nudiflorum, winter flowering jasmine, is a durable shrub covered with a mass of tiny yellow flowers around the same time. Ironically, the heavily planted Bradford pear may be beautiful when it blooms, but actually has a scent that has been compared to rotten fish and worse. It is a fairly weak, short-lived tree anyway, so lets avoid that one! February Chores Cut back Asian jasmine, liriope, and roses Treat crape myrtles with dormant oil for bark scale Make major pruning changes to overgrown shrubs Prune low limbs on trees Prune dormant perennials and fountain grasses Plant and transplant trees and shrubs Apply pre-emergent and broadleaf herbicides Change water and clean water gardens and koi ponds   Our goal is to fulfill the needs of the customer by providing timely, quality services and products. Thanks for your business! Greg Hamann Owner

Prime's Clippings January 2018

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at Prime Landscape

Welcome 2018 We hope everyone enjoyed the end of year festivities and seasonally cold weather for the holidays. Maybe a little hard to enjoy the 16 degree icy start on New Years Eve, but a little winter weather can be a good thing for bugs and weeds. A freeze like this that lasts for more than a few days will generally damage all zone 9 and some zone 8 plants. We have good soil moisture now so our plants have a good shot at coming through this okay, but there will inevitably be a few broken pipes. We are always excited about the possibilities a new year brings- except for ice storms! We are adding on to our building and updating equipment in our ongoing effort to provide the best possible service. We appreciate all of our great clients and welcome your feedback. You can always reach out to us at contactus@primelandscapeservices.com if there's anything you need.   Our Annual Mulch Special is Here Mulching your beds is absolutely the best thing you can do for the health of your soil and plants. Remember: mulch reduces weeds, improves soil structure, conserves moisture, protects plants from extreme cold and summer heat, and gives your beds a neat appearance. How much do I need? We recommend adding 2” to existing mulch or 3” to un-mulched areas. A 2 cu ft bag will cover about 10 sq ft 2” deep or 7 sq ft 3” deep Take Advantage Now! Mention our newsletter for 15% off normal prices.  Prices Include Delivery and Installation!  (extra charges may apply for bed weeding or leaf clean-ups if needed)  DISCOUNTED PRICES: Hardwood: $5.50 per 2 cu ft bag Dark brown, enriches soil as it decomposes Cedar: $6.00 per 2 cu ft bag Great cedar smell, lighter color, lasts longer Red or Black Mulch: $6.00 per bag For a decorative look   Winter Chores Leaves: Most of our leaves are down and we should finish the last of our leaf clean ups in early January. Some trees like Shumard oak are still holding their leaves but should finish dropping any day now. Live oaks drop in Feb - March, giving us another round of leaf clean-ups in late winter. If we haven’t gotten to yours and at any time this winter you need a clean up please call to let us know. Remember too that we clean gutters! Let us know if we can help you with that! Weeds: Our first round of Spring pre-emergent weed control will start in January-February. This application and the next one in March also contain a broadleaf weed killer for any dandelions, henbit, or chickweed that have come up over the last few months. Even when they are caught early it still takes two applications to kill them. Please note that grassy winter weeds like wild rye and rescue grass are very difficult to control. They require spot treatments with specialty herbicides which take several weeks to work. Pruning: Most perennials are dormant now and need to be cut back. Ornamental fountain grasses like Maiden and Muhly grasses look nice for awhile after dormancy but will start to shed and get messy. We will start cutting those back in January as well. Roses should be cut back in February. Winter is also the time to make drastic cuts if you are trying to reduce the size of overgrown shrubs. Groundcovers: Our liriope and Asian jasmine groundcovers should be cut back before they start to put out new growth in spring. With our unpredictable winters it is hard to pick the best time. We normally wait until the end of January to avoid exposing them to temperatures in the teens. Transplanting: January and February are good months for transplanting shrubs and dividing most perennials. However, it is not always practical to transplant large shrubs or trees for several reasons: There are often sprinkler pipes or other plants in close proximity, making it difficult to excavate an appropriate root ball. The labor for transplanting may equal or exceed the cost to install a new plant. And there is always a higher mortality with transplants than with container plants. Tree Trimming: Limb structure is easiest to see when trees are dormant, so winter is a good time to clean up your trees. Remember in Arlington that tree limbs by city code must be kept 14 ft above the street. This is a good idea regardless of where you live, so your limbs are not damaged by delivery trucks and they do not impede emergency vehicles like fire trucks. Planting: Fall and winter are great seasons for planting new shrubs and trees to avoid moisture stress and get the root systems established before summer! Exceptions would be palms or tender zone 8 plants. Planning: And if you are a spring gardener, start lining up your improvement plans now! We routinely book out for several weeks starting in March. And if you are a fellow veggie gardener, winter is when we peruse seed catalogs for inspiration and new varieties to try.   Daffodils- Coming Soon!   Got Ice? We Can Help! Don’t let a winter storm shut your business down or create a hazardous situation for people trying to access your home or business! We aid several of our commercial properties with snow and ice removal, salting, and sanding. We are ready again should the need arise, and can even help homeowners with ice melt for steep driveways and sidewalks. But please call us ahead of time and let us know if you would like de-icing or snow removal services for your home or business before the next big storm.   A Word About Crape Myrtle Pruning Crape myrtles are traditionally pruned in January-February. The horticulturally correct method is to treat a standard tree-form crape like any other tree. Prune entire branches to allow more sunlight into the canopy and reduce overcrowding, remove low branches that are in the way, remove water sprouts and suckers, and strip the seed pods if their appearance bothers you or cut tips of limbs no larger than a pencil. However, many properties and some homeowners want their crapes kept within a certain size range and this limit requires “topping” or more drastic cutting of the crowns. Since we have to administer both techniques, be sure to let us know if you have a preference.

January Chores Finish leaf clean-ups Mulch beds Trim crape myrtles Make major pruning changes to overgrown shrubs Prune low limbs on trees Prune dormant perennials and fountain grasses Plant and transplant trees and shrubs Apply pre-emergent and broadleaf herbicides Change water and clean water gardens and koi ponds   Our goal is to fulfill the needs of the customer by providing timely, quality services and products. Thanks for your business!