Prime's Clippings July 2016

Happy 4th of July!

Celebrate Summer

We haven't hit the century mark yet and the floods have helped get our soil moisture and lakes recharged. But rains have been really sporadic now for a few weeks and you need to run and manage your sprinklers wisely from here on out. You can keep most of your landscape looking good with twice a week watering, but it takes a well tuned sprinkler system, a well designed program, and due diligence to make sure everything is working properly. Newly planted shrubs and trees need a deep soaking weekly and some flowers will need water more than twice a week. Remember, a water hose can be your best friend in July and August. It’s relaxing and the best way to assure new plants get what they need. 

Summer Lawn Pests and a Special Offer

With hot dry weather here, conditions are optimum for chinch bugs. Chinch bugs are often the cause of large dry looking areas in sunny St. Augustine lawns, and may also attack Bermuda. If you notice a possible infestation call us immediately! Most of our lawn application programs are set up for every 5-6 weeks, and if chinch bugs start feeding after we have recently been on your property there could be serious damage before we are out for the next application.

Gray leaf spot is a fungal disease that primarily affects St. Augustine in warm humid weather. The result is mottled yellow areas that are most noticeable after fertilizing. The fertilizer will green up unaffected areas making the infected areas paler in comparison. Severe cases should be treated with fungicide.

The grub worm is another nasty pest. It is much more difficult to determine whether or not you will have a problem with grubs because they feed on root systems in the soil, and usually by the time you see the grass turning brown the damage has already been done. The best time to apply chemical control for grubs in our area is from mid July through August.

If you’re already on our chemical program, give us a call during the first two weeks in July and we will include an insecticide treatment for Grub Worms AND Chinch Bugs for just $24.95 when we’re out to do your next regular lawn application (price good for lawns up to 5,000 sq. ft.)

John and Team Install New Landscape at Six Flags

We were honored to be selected for landscaping the newest addition at Six Flags comprised of 3 rides in the Gotham City section. Due to the narrow time frame and constant rainy conditions it was quite a challenge but we were able to beat the deadline. The highlights of the job included a large grove of 14 foot tall Muskogee crape myrtles that will bloom in lavender that matches the color scheme of the rides, and our design of the pedestals for the Catwoman Whip ride. John located gray and charcoal shades of stone to make the perfect match for the dark atmosphere of Gotham City. Pancho and crew executed it beautifully. Be sure and check it out on your next visit, and ride the Riddler Revenge!

Prime's Clippings June 2016

Ratibida Columnaris

Mexican Hat - one of our prominent June wildflowers

Rain, Rain, Rain...

Your back yard rain gauge is a more accurate measure than the averages across the metroplex, but the storms have been widespread enough that most of us are about even in the rainfall race. My April readings were about 5 inches and May is at about 6. That folks, is a lot of rain. Coupled with the fact that we set a record or two for “low high temperatures”, this has been a cool month as well. I personally have enjoyed the cool damp weather, but lots of plants have not.

I noted last month that Indian Hawthorns have been defoliated by fungal leaf spot, and lately I have watched my pretty purple oxalis disappear from rust infestation. Coral honeysuckle, native to east Texas and normally well adapted here, has been victimized by powdery mildew. I caution against planting periwinkles in these conditions and haven’t seen any phytophthora yet, but it will be a miracle if we don’t lose at least some before the sun comes back.

In short, you can expect to see a variety of fungal issues across a variety of plants.

But on the bright side, we haven’t had to worry about watering much of anything just yet! And we all know it will be plenty hot soon enough, so enjoy it while you can.

Sprinkler Systems 101

Thanks to Murphy’s Law, it seems that right when you need your sprinkler system the most is also when it is most likely to break down. Unlike changing the oil in your car, there isn’t a whole lot of preventive maintenance you can perform on your sprinklers, but routine inspections are extremely important.

A typical sprinkler system starts at the backflow device, which is usually in a large box located a few feet from your water meter. There are 2 handles here which are used to turn the water off to the sprinklers without affecting the water to your house. Silt often accumulates around this valve and the handles corrode, making it difficult to turn off the water in an emergency. We recommend cleaning out the silt once a year and replacing your handles with stainless steel handles. Stainless handles will last forever.

Your control valves are located throughout the yard and have an electric solenoid and rubber diaphragm. These parts fail over time, the wire splices may corrode, and fire ants eat the insulation off the wires. If a valve is not coming on it is often an electrical problem. If it sticks on and runs continuously, it is usually a bad diaphragm or debris may have lodged in the valve. In most cases, we rebuild the valve with all new components, or replace the valve entirely if there is internal wear or other issues.

Spray heads are typically used for patterns of 4 ft up to 15 ft, rotors for patterns of 15 ft to 40 ft, drip irrigation for ornamental beds or pots, and bubbler heads for trees, large plants, or large pots. Pop-up sprays and rotors have seals that harden with age and leak or prevent the head from lowering after it pops up. This is the main reason heads get broken by mowers. Properly installed, a head that is working properly cannot be hit by a mower. If you see a lot of water pooling around a head when it is running it may have a bad seal. Spray nozzles also become clogged, and heads settle so that they are crooked, too low, or too high. Drip is notorious for being damaged by digging in beds, and rodents also love to chew on drip. Correcting these issues is all part of routine maintenance. Your controller is the brain of the system, and most of today’s controllers have sophisticated settings that allow you to optimize how and when you apply water. Like any computer, they may be damaged by power surges, lightning, or gremlins. But what is the first thing you always check when your controller isn’t working? The electrical outlet! Plug something else in and make sure you have electricity there. If so, then you can call us to come look for the gremlins.

Core Aeration

Aeration is one of the most beneficial turf management practices, and this is one of the best times of the year to aerate your lawn. Core aeration pulls little plugs of soil out of the ground, loosening compacted soil and allowing water to percolate deeper into the soil. This also increases air in the soil and root growth, giving your lawn the tools it needs to thrive in the long hot summer ahead. Aeration is beneficial almost any time of the year, but improving your yard’s ability to absorb water before the hottest part of summer is particularly helpful. And this year, with our overly saturated soils, the increased air in the soil is particularly helpful. Prices start at just $149.00, so give us a call to get on the schedule.

Not Fun and Hot Fun in the Summertime

Yes, with the official start of summer only 21 days away, the sun will eventually make an appearance and things will start to dry out, and the drying usually happens faster than you expect. One of the phenomena we observed last year when the rain faucets finally shut off was that our trees and other plants had put on growth like they thought the water would never stop. And when it did stop, they dropped leaves, stared browning, or wilted easily in response. We may also see drooping from root damage or root diseases when plants in heavy soils or low areas have been saturated for several weeks. There is not much we can do for plants that suffer root loss, but for our lawns and ornamentals that are addicted to rain we may need to start watering soon after the rains end rather than waiting until the soil really dries out.

Dull, droopy leaves on a stem or plant are often an indication of root damage or root disease. If only a section of the plant is affected, prune it out and the remainder of the plant may recuperate. If the entire plant droops and loses it’s sheen you better make plans to replace it.

With area lakes full many cities have relaxed water restrictions but you still need to check your local ordinances and conserve water when you can.


Once we get into a hot dry weather pattern chinch bugs may make an appearance in your lawn. The lush growth we are having creates an ideal habitat. Chinch bugs are often the cause of large dry looking areas in sunny St. Augustine lawns. Most of the time people just think they have a clogged sprinkler head or aren’t watering enough. If you notice a possible infestation call us immediately.

Gray leaf spot is a fungal disease that primarily affects St. Augustine in warm humid weather. The result is mottled yellow areas that are most noticeable after fertilizing. The fertilizer will green up healthy areas making the infected areas paler in comparison. Severe cases should be treated with fungicide.

You may have noticed that this article is heavy on issues you may expect to see from the abundance of water we have received these last two months, so how the heck do we tie that to the “Hot Fun” in the headline? It is easy for me to dwell on plant problems since folks mostly call when they have a problem to solve and rarely when they are just enjoying a good time in their yard. But for those who would enjoy their yard even more with a pool or water feature, don’t forget that Prime can help you find that path to enjoyment. We currently have 3 big pool projects breaking ground in the next few weeks and Spencer and Josh are taking on more clients for their pool and pond maintenance services. So if you are thinking of a custom pool for next year or need help with the pool or pond that you have now, keep Prime in mind!

Prime's Clippings May 2016

Never Complain About the Rain*

Looking back on the newsletters from both 2014 and 2015, we seem to be in a pattern of starting May with lows In the forties and lots of rain. The forecast for Tuesday morning will be mid forties and may even dip into the upper thirties outside of the city heat island! May is historically our rainiest month so nothing unusual about that, but due to the El Nino effect our wet spring began in March and really ramped up in April. The cool nights have kept weeds growing fast and lawns somewhat slow, but that should all change soon and grass will start to dominate. 

Leave sprinklers off until rains disappear for a week or more, but keep an eye on any new plants. As you well know, we can jump into  90 degree afternoons without warning and that can wilt newly planted flowers in just a day or so. But right now the dominant issues are drainage and fungal problems. Wet springs cause numerous problems, including TARR (Take All Root Rot) and brown patch in St. Augustine. Leaf spot on hawthorns and photinias is showing up too. Issues like these have to be addressed periodically, but again, we should be happy and take the rain over drought conditions anytime.

* unless you live in Spain and it is mainly on the plain, or just like me you are mildly insane

Rainy Days and Seasonal Color

The pattern of heavy rains every week throughout the last few weeks has meant that most of our properties have had to be mowed while they were wet. This is certainly not our preference, but the reality is that if we skip a wet property this week and it is raining again the following week, and then the following week… well, you can see where this is going. We try to avoid mowing the properties or areas of properties that have the worst drainage, we send crews out late and work 14 hour days to make up, but there will always be the potential for your property to be missed or mowed while it is wetter than either of us would prefer.

Annual flowers are going in the ground just as fast as we can get to them, and all properties should be finished in the next 3 weeks. We love planting this time of year because we are almost always assured a few good rains to water our flowers in, and nothing is better than natural rainwater. However, the cool rainy weather also affects what and when we can plant. Zinnias, pentas, and periwinkles are some of our most requested plants, but cool wet weather is instant death for periwinkles and sometimes zinnias. And although the pentas we have planted so far are nice and healthy, they need more sun to start blooming. So please don’t be impatient if these are the plants destined for your property. There is still plenty of time to get them started.

What Can We Help You With?

A reminder to both our new clients and long-time clients as well.Prime is a full service landscape company, offering all types of outdoor services. Along with typical maintenance chores like mowing, shrub and tree trimming, fertilizing, and weed control, we can help you with many other professional services.

• Landscape Design and Installation
• Landscape Architect
• Outdoor LED Lighting
• Christmas Lighting
• Outdoor Pest Control
• Deep Root Feeding
• Aeration
• Swimming Pool Design and Construction
• Sprinkler System Design, Installation, and Repair
• Drainage Systems
• Stone Masonry and Concrete Work
• Koi Ponds and Waterfalls
• Pondless Water Features and Fountains
• Trash and Debris Haul Off
• Pressure Washing

May is for Maintenance

The key word for May is maintenance! This is probably the hardest time of the year to try and keep up with everything. With the heavy rains and warmer temperatures all our plants will be growing fast. That means weeds in the beds seem to be in a race to see who can reach the roof first. Shrubs too are flushing out and put on some of their heaviest growth of the year during the next 2 months. Our lawns should now be mowed weekly for the rest of the growing season. Remember, mowing too infrequently stresses the grass and can contribute to disease and weed problems.
Maintenance also means keeping up with insects and diseases. Most of our insect pests and disease organisms multiply rapidly in moist warm weather, so a good gardener needs to watch for aphids, mealy bugs, cutworms, lawn fungus, and any number of similar problems that can quickly wreck havoc on your ornamentals and lawn.

Scale on crape myrtles has been an increasing problem now for about 6 years and is causing severe stress for these beloved plants. We can apply a systemic in the spring. Do not delay if you see an infestation as a systemic takes several weeks to work.

Entomosporium leaf spot is rampant right now affecting hawthorns, cleyera, and a variety of shrubs. Two applications of a fungicide should provide good control. Not treating may result in defoliation and death.

Fire ants will be popping up everywhere after big rains. It’s not too late to apply the product that controls for a full season, or you can periodically apply baits and mound treatments. Baits are still one of the most effective controls but do not give results overnight. A slow steady reduction of ant populations is the goal.
  

Mosquito Season is Here

Wet conditions are going to make mosquitoes a major problem this spring. Cities are already starting control efforts and you should too. The street-side applications made by most cities do not extend much past your fence or hedges so you receive little benefit in your back yard where you spend most of your time. Follow the guidelines of eliminating stagnant standing water, put mosquito dunks in rain barrels and drain basins, and wear insect repellent during peak hours if you are going to be outside. We cannot eliminate all mosquitoes from your yard, but we can reduce the populations in your immediate area. We use a fogging system to treat shady spots and shrubs where mosquitoes hide during daylight hours with an insecticide that has a 3 to 4 week residual. This means that a monthly application during mosquito season will help you to enjoy your yard again. Zika and West Nile are real concerns. Shouldn’t you be doing everything you can to protect yourself and your family? Prices start at just $95 for a residence depending on the amount of landscaping that needs to be covered. We can also treat your drain boxes for just $25 each. Call to get on our next round of applications!

Prime's Clippings April 2016

Gold, white, red, and a little bit of lavender Lantana

Looking Forward to a Great Spring

With regular rains and cool nights, spring is starting off nicely, except for those of us that were caught in the hail storms. There is lots of color showing up on roses, wisteria, spiraea, and azaleas, and trees are budding out everywhere. With the warm winter I noticed several plants blooming weeks earlier than normal, including bluebonnets and bridal wreath. Pansies have held up well this spring in most places, but a few have been lost to aphids or wet soils last fall. I hate to see them go, but it’s about  time to start changing out to summer color. 

So what might this year bring? More floods, drought, bugs, blooms, or all of the above? It's as hard to predict how our gardens will perform as it is to predict our weather, and of course they are inexorably entwined. At least the rains have filled area lakes and our soil moisture levels are good, so we will start the 2016 gardening season in reasonably good shape. 

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

How to Water Newly Planted Shrubs

A reminder to anyone planting new shrubs and trees. Although sprinkler systems will supplement rains adequately on lawns and established plants, most new plants need to be thoroughly soaked once a week until they get established and very few sprinkler systems are capable of soaking an entire root ball.

This means that if you do not receive a good soaking rain every 6-10 days, you need to get the old water hose out and hand water your new plants weekly. 

The bigger the plant, the more important this is. Most plants like a well drained soil, so container grown plants are usually planted in an organic mix that drains very well. Nurseries water most plants daily as going without water for even a couple days can dry out the root ball to the point of damaging the plant. 

When your new plants are taken from that container and placed in soil, the same effect can be seen, although not quite as rapidly. When a healthy plant fails within just a few weeks of installation, 95% of the time it is due to that root ball being allowed to dry out. We’ll chalk up 4% to the other culprit, over watering, and 1% to a damaged root ball. So please help us keep your new plants looking good by watering correctly!

Almost Time for Summer Color

Start making plans now for your summer color!

Mixed colors of Pentas

We are planting petunias now for a big show through May, and then around mid-April we will start planting summer flowers so they can get rooted before hot weather. 

There are so many choices, but low maintenance plants that are not too finicky work well 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 and appropriate applications for them. 

Gold, white, red, and a little bit of lavender Lantana

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. Pentas are another heat lover with few problems, and for big accents use purple fountain grass, esperanza, and sun coleus. 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. 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. Other choices for sun include Angelonia, 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.

Impatiens with just the right amount of sun

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 and once they start withering they take a long time to recover. 

Dragon Wing Begonias

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


We have had great luck with Dragon Wing Begonias in shade despite uneven watering.

Reminders

Email

Please call or e-mail us to start getting your invoices and statements via e-mail. We will never share your contact information or blast you with solicitations. It is simply the most environmentally friendly and efficient way to do business. contactus@primelandscapeservices.com

Scheduling

During the spring season, we have many homeowners with different preferences for their mowing schedule. If you are not on a 12 month pro-rated contract, please let us know when you want to start weekly services. Also please give at least 24 hours notice to change a regular service.

Lawn Problems

It has been a wet spring so far, and if April starts off cool and wet these are optimal conditions for brown patch, take-all patch, spring dead spot, and other fungal turf diseases. Keep an eye out for circular brown patches or yellowing and call if you think you have a problem. 

Prime's Clippings March 2016

A Record Warm Winter Creates Spring Challenges 

Last month I said I wouldn’t start planting begonias just yet in spite of the spring-like temperatures, but this has certainly been the warmest winter in many years. We could have planted lots of warm weather plants in February but the likelihood of a March freeze still holds true for another 20 days, so let’s try to be a little patient!

The recent rain was sorely needed, but weeds are now exploding onto the scene. Pre-emergent applications from the fall were only partially effective after being diluted with nearly 20 inches of rain in October – November. We are applying broadleaf control for plants like dandelion and henbit now and spot spraying for certain grassy weeds like wild rye. Remember though that most of these plants have begun flowering already and it takes at least 2 weeks and 2 applications to knock these weeds down. Our crews are busy cutting back roses, perennials, and grasses, and I hate to tell you but it is already time to fire up the mowers.

So here is our annual reminder: RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS! If you are not on a year-round contract, please call to let us know when you are ready for mowing or your spring clean up.  We don’t want you to wonder where we are, but we also have some clients that like to wait until late in March to start.

And not to be the bearer of bad news, but with less than half of our normal freeze days this winter we can probably expect lots of insect issues and an early crop of mosquitoes and fire ant activity. We will try to keep you informed as we observe these problems, but let us know if you need our help. We offer mosquito fogging, fire ant control that is guaranteed all season, and treatments for other pests we will see this year, such as bagworms, tent caterpillars, and chinch bugs.

Ready or not, we are into an early spring so hang on for the ride!

No Fire Ants For The Season - Guaranteed! 

Fire ants may be 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 to children, pets, and any unsuspecting gardener.

Fire ants can migrate miles when swarming and tunnel up to 20 feet deep, so permanent eradication is not possible. However, we can treat your entire property with a long residual product that will eliminate existing colonies and create a barrier to prevent new swarms from moving in. When done in March, we guarantee control for 8 months!

Prices start at just $155 for a full year. Call for your free quote today and get 10% off your first year!

Pond Season Starting Up 

String algae season is starting early this year. As much as we love our beautiful water features, we pond owners hate string algae equally. 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, 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 Spencer a call to book your spot for your spring clean out!

Thank You For Your Business

Spring is upon us in full force. We want to thank all our clients who started on their spring projects with us a month or two ago when we had a little more free time, and we appreciate the patience of all of you who are now calling in for landscape projects and having to wait for your estimate. We will do our best to get to whatever you need as quickly as we can.

We look forward to working with you in the coming season. And remember- email is a great way to communicate with us!

contactus@primelandscapeservices.com 

Prime's Clippings February 2016

75 Degrees on Jan. 30? Winter Must Be Over!

It may still be a little too early to pull out the bathing suit!

I wouldn’t start planting begonias just yet, but 75 in January? I imagine we will soon see our weather imitate the January stock market and maybe have some frozen precipitation before we see real spring weather. But these long warm spells play heck with plants in winter.

Watch for weeds to explode onto the scene in February, and trees may start to bud early. It is late enough now to cut back roses and ornamental grasses, but if this warm spell persists, a late hard freeze could knock some things back. But the day I can predict the weather a month out is the day I can tell where your stocks will be in a month.

We will be busy putting out our first winter weed application and remember that it takes at least two applications. 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. And if you are needing your trees shaped or cleaned up, we should schedule before they leaf out as it is much easier to see what really needs to be done.

My official prediction: Regardless of what the weather is doing, Spring will begin March 20. I don’t think I can go wrong with that one.

Our Annual Mulch Special Continues Through Feb!

Mulching your beds is absolutely the best thing you can do for the health of your soil and plants. Mulch reduces weeds, improves soil structure, conserves moisture, protects plants from extreme cold and summer heat, and gives your beds a neat appearance.

Take advantage now! Mention our newsletter for 20% off normal prices.

Don't Forget These Winter Chores

February is the month to transplant trees, shrubs, and many perennials. If you have something that doesn’t quite fit and has not been in the ground too many years, now is the time to find it a new home. Keep as much soil around the root ball as you can, and water with root stimulator and liquid fish/ seaweed emulsion.

While trees are still void of foliage, prune to remove mistletoe, low limbs, and perform corrective pruning for crossed limbs, weak forks, and other potential hazards. It is much easier to see what needs to be done when the leaves are off.

Cut back ornamental fountain grasses, roses, and groundcovers such as liriope and Asian jasmine this month. We are strongly recommending that everyone have their liriope (monkey grass) cut back this year. There is a fungal crown rot that is infecting liriope throughout the area. It is a serious disease that will slowly kill out large patches of your bed and has no practical chemical control. Cutting the plant back in late winter is one of the recommended preventative measures along with avoiding too much water.

This is also the time for severe pruning of overgrown shrubs, or shall we say perhaps a shrub that may not have been planted in the best location? Regardless, you can cut many shrubs back to wood now with a good chance they will leaf back out in spring.

Veggie gardeners have a lot on their plate this month. It is time to plant many cool weather leafy and root vegetables, including onions, carrots, kale, peas, broccoli, collards and most all greens, and even lettuce. You may still have to cover tender new plants a few times, but all of these are at their best before temperatures get hot.

A Serious Problem For Crape Myrtles

An extremely destructive  pest is troubling crape myrtles in north Texas. This is a type of felt or bark scale that is doing serious damage and is difficult to control.

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.

Texas A&M does not yet have a full treatment regimen, but dormant oil sprayed before the leaves emerge and a systemic insecticide containing imacloprid will need to be applied 2-3 times through the season.

If you have noticed the symptoms above, call for an evaluation and treatment plan.

Knockout Roses - Pruning and Rosette Disease

Knockout roses have become a mainstay of our local landscape both in commercial and residential settings. Knockouts are just  one of a number of Earth-Kind roses, a special designation given by Texas AgriLife Extension Service. There are numerous others including the smaller Drift roses.

Unfortunately, rosette disease has become widespread throughout the metroplex in just the last few years, and these once bullet-proof roses are just as susceptible as any rose to this deadly virus. Spread by a tiny eriophyid mite, the recommended treatment for diseased plants is to remove them and spray adjacent roses in hopes of controlling any mites that may be in the area. Since the mites may crawl from one plant to another, rethinking your rose bed so that plants have a little space between them may help prevent spreading the disease.

At the same time, it appears that the mites are also carried by the wind or even piggybacking on other insects, so there is no guarantee.

And there is also a possibility the disease may sometimes be located in only one section the plant and not systemic. If this is the case, it may be possible to prune out a diseased section and see if the plant recovers.

Does this mean that we can no longer enjoy beautiful roses in north Texas? No, we can still plant, but we must be vigilant in watching for symptoms and need to avoid large mass plantings.

Another subject is whether or not healthy Knockouts need to be trimmed.

Knockouts are  popular for many reasons- they are consistent bloomers throughout the season, they have attractive dark foliage that holds late into the winter, but their biggest attribute may be their ability to  perform with little care.

Although Knockouts can be enhanced by traditional rose pruning techniques, they really only need a serious pruning about once a year. They don’t require dead heading to encourage more blooms, but occasional shaping is perfectly acceptable throughout the season.

Prime's Clippings January 2016

Hello 2016!

Daffodils- Coming soon to a yard near you!

We hope everyone enjoyed the end of year festivities and the pleasant  Christmas weather- no floods!

We are always excited about the possibilities a new year brings, and anxious to see what roller coaster weather events come with it. So far so good, but we’ve got a long ways to go.

Our winter plans will find us working hard on our operations so that we can provide you the best possible services in 2016. We value your feedback, so please help us to serve you better by letting us know what you need.

And this is the time of year when good gardeners make their plans and start their home improvement  projects for the New Year.

So take this time to reflect on last year’s successes and make your plans for an exciting 2016.

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.

Take advantage now! Mention our newsletter for 20% off normal prices.

Prices Include Delivery and Installation!

(extra charges may apply for weeding or leaf clean ups if needed)

How much do I need? We recommend adding 2” to existing mulch or 3” to unmulched areas. A 2 cu. ft. bag will cover about 10 sq. ft. 2” deep or 7 sq. ft. 3” deep

DISCOUNTED PRICE

Hardwood: $5.00 per 2 cu ft bag

Dark brown, enriches soil as it decomposes

Cedar: $5.85 per 2 cu ft bag

Great cedar smell, lighter color, lasts longer

Red or Black Mulch: $5.60 per bag

For a decorative look

January Happenings

Remember that we do clean gutters!

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.

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 may have come up over the last few months. Even when they are caught early it still takes two applications to kill them. With a wet winter so far and more rain predicted it may be a banner year for weeds. 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, and 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 is a good month for transplanting shrubs and dividing most perennials.

Tree Trimming: Limb structure is easiest to see when trees are dormant, so now would be the 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: Our constant reminder! Fall and winter are our best seasons for planting new shrubs and trees to avoid moisture stress and get the root systems established before summer!

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.

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 Trimming

Crape myrtles are traditionally pruned in January. 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.