Professional Landscape Maintenance Vancouver, WA

From the office of The Grounds Keeper, Inc.   Greetings…

January 27th, 2012

Happy Holidays to you! Here are some winter and early spring projects for you to ponder.
The maintenance crews are working on lime applications to adjust the soil pH in the turf, cleaning the beds for the pre-emergence weed control application and the moss control to the turf. European Crane Fly applications will start next month followed up by fertilization.

Additional projects coming up:

• Micorrhizea Injection to trees. The best way to feed many of our trees is by eradicating the presence of soil compaction and promoting mycorrhizae. This is done by adding mycorrhizal fungi and soil amendments that support the heath of trees and microorganisms. Tree roots gain minerals, nutrients, water and more. The fungi gain sugars and other compounds. This way, the trees contribute and gain, and fungi contribute and gain – both are giving to, and receiving from each other.
• Merit Injection to Birch trees. Over the past 2 years the borers have been laying their eggs in Birch trees around the northwest. After the eggs hatch the larvae feed on the cambium layer in the tree and the tree dies in about 4 weeks. To combat this we are doing deep root injection using Merit insecticide. This systemic product will kill the larvae when they begin to feed.
• Dormant spraying of trees and shrubs. This is a spray application of Copper to control disease and Dormant Oil to kill wintering over insect eggs. These two products are both part of an organic plant health program. This is the best preventative measure to control disease and insect problems.
• Tree Pruning. We are in the middle of tree pruning season. This is the best time of year for corrective pruning and thinning your trees for health and vigor.
• Bark Dusting Beds or Composting Beds. Bark dust and compost help retain moisture through the summer and helps keeps weeds to a minimum. This is a great way to make your property look like spring has arrived early.
• European Crane Fly Control. The large mosquito – looking insect that lands in your lawn and on the siding of your house is the European Crane Fly. They lay their eggs in the fall. In spring the eggs hatch to larvae that feed on the roots and crown of your turf. This can be a quick way to lose a lawn or do enough root damage that the lawn cannot take in the nutrients or water it needs. If we treated your lawn last year we will treat again this year unless we hear otherwise.
• Backflow Assembly Testing. Certified testing of the backflow device on your sprinkler system as required by your water purveyor yearly. If we did your test last year you are already on the schedule.
• Irrigation Start Up. This service includes going through all the zones in the system, checking for coverage and changing any worn or damaged parts. We will also make recommendations on heads that may need to be moved for better coverage.
• Planting Projects. Winter is the best time to plant a specimen tree, add a new shrub or install a hedge. Planting now will help your new plants flourish in the spring.

Please call the office at 576-4119 to schedule any of the above services, mail this back with your name on it or email to todd@thegroundskeeper.com.

Sincerely,
Todd Moser