Caring For Your New Landscape

Caring For Your Landscape Plants

Watering: Artificial watering of new plantings during the first growing season is necessary. The first 2-3 weeks after planting or during extreme weather conditions are very critical to plant survival. Daily watering is usually needed during this time. New plants should be gradually soaked with a garden hose or sprinkler to the point of run off. Watering frequency can gradually be reduced to once a week after the first 3-4 weeks. Watch for leaf wilting or browning of tissue between watering. If leaf damage is noticed, water immediately and more frequently. Plants will survive some transplant stress; however, leaf tissue recovery may not occur until the following growing season. Improper watering or not watering can adversely affect your one year plant warranty.

Fertilizing: After the first year fertilize trees, small fruits and shrubs with one quarter pound of commercial nitrate fertilizer per year of growth. You also need to broadcast spread fertilizer under the branches each spring. Roses require more frequent applications of fertilizer through the spring and summer.

Insect and Disease: Insect and disease problems usually show visual signs of leaf damage. Control of insects and diseases is dependent upon proper diagnosis of the problem. If you suspect insect or disease problems call Professional Turf, Inc. We provide Tree and Shrub service for treatment of insect and disease problems. With proper diagnosis tree and shrub problems can be treated effectively.

Cultural Practices and Pruning: Proper watering, fertilizing, and selection of plants from good stock will minimize problems with your landscape. Established plants are pruned for cultural and maintenance purposes. Improving structure on trees is of primary importance. Prune for uniform spacing of main stems and branches, thin out weak growth, eliminate weak crotches and raise the head of the tree gradually by removing lowest branches starting at least two years after planting. Keep shrubs shapely by trimming new growths after flowers begin to brown and drop. Heavy pruning should be done by pruning old growth to the ground in late winter or early spring.

Turf Care for New Sod: New sod should be watered daily 20-30 minutes in each area. Under extreme weather conditions it may be necessary to water twice a day. Watering frequency can gradually be reduced to twice a week during June through August. Two hours of watering in each area and 4 hours, once a week in each area during April, May, September, and October.

Fertilizing can begin 6-8 weeks after the sod is laid. Use a 4-0-2 fertilizer ratio containing 20% or more slow release nitrogen. Apply at a rate of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet - 3 to 5 times annually. Apply a pre-emergent crabgrass control along with the early spring application of fertilizer before May 20th. Control broadleaf weeds as they emerge with a spot sprayer and broadleaf weed control product. Always leave grass clippings unless they become excessive and smother the turf. Cutting height should be 2.5 to 3 inches.

Landscape Installation Guide for New and Existing Landscape

The first step is to start with a good design - A good design can be created by a professional landscape designer. For homeowners that wish to do the installation themselves, a landscape designer will create a design for them for a fee. Often times if you purchase your materials from the design firm, you can get the plans at a discount. A good plan is necessary for renovating an existing landscape or for new home construction.

Removal of Existing Material

Always call Gopher One prior to removal or digging for new plants. Allow 48 hours for all utilities to be marked.
Always use caution when removing and installing plant material. Wear leather gloves, steel toed boots and safety glasses when appropriate.
Landscape renovations This type of job occurs on sites that are already landscaped with a lawn in place. Caution needs to be taken when using equipment on existing turf to avoid damage and costly repairs.
When removing debris keep rock, mulch, compost, larger branches, stumps, and garbage separate for disposal at proper recycling centers.

Bed Preparations and Grading

Bed lines should either be painted or staked out before cutting out any sod. After sod is cut, pick up and rake out any debris so planting bed is nice and smooth. Make sure the grade slopes away from the foundation down to bed lines. This is very important! We don't want water backing up into the foundation. Excavate soil in areas that may be too high to accommodate 3-4" of rock or mulch. This means digging out soil 18-24" behind edging line, driveways and sidewalks. If this is not done the rock or mulch will fall out.

Edging Installation

Start with a sharp edging spade or trenching machine. The key is to keep a nice flowing curve to the bed lines. You can use your hose as a guideline if it's easier. Next, make sure you dig straight down with your spade and dig a bit deeper than the edging itself. This is much easier in the long run and end result looks professional.
If you encounter big roots, (Silver Maples) or boulders, you may need to notch the bottom of the edging and install the edging over the obstacle.
When installing on contoured ground slice the edging from the bottom up to the bead every 12". Extra stakes may be needed to secure edging properly.
After trench is dug set out edging with the "V" facing inside the bed. Then prepare edging to be connected. Cut off 3" of the bead on one of the two sections of edging to be connected. Install connector, and then connect the sections so they overlap each other--this is where you need to put a stake. Four stakes per section should be used and pounded in at an angle half way between the bottom and top bead.
Backfill with 2" of soil, with soil behind edging and stamp in with your foot. Rake out any excess soil to allow for rock or mulch. Excess soil may be used to build up foundation grade. Any soil we can leave on site reduces any we may have to haul away. If there are gaps in back of edging, fill in with soil and sod scraps. If the edging is installed correctly, you should not have to do this.

Handling and Care of Plant Materials

In the summer, the biggest problem is the heat. Plants need a lot of water to survive, sometimes two times a day. Water the plants at the end of each day and check again in the morning. Make sure trees are not tied up too long, they will burn up.
When handling plants in pots, gently tap sides and bottom of the pot to loosen, turn upside down and slowly pull plant out. Try to keep root ball in tacked and gently place in hole.
When handling larger B&B (Balled and Burlap) material it's important not to squeeze nursery tongs too tight. And make sure to be careful not to scrape or damage the trunk of the tree when handling. Use cardboard to protect tree if it doesn't have a plastic tree guard on it. If you need to tie trees up, be careful not to pull twine too tight, this breaks branches. Hand ball carts are available for rent to move trees around your yard.
If plants are left at a site unplanted, they need to be secure and watered 1-2 times per day.

Planting Potted and B&B Materials

When planting potted material, dig the hole 2-3" wider than the pot, with a level bottom. Depth of the hole is determined by measuring the pot with your shovel handle. Then measure the depth of the hole, and keep the plant root ball level with the soil. Next, amend the soil with ½ existing soil and ½" of black dirt when planting in poor soil. Try to mix the soil evenly. Backfill plant half way, give it a shot of water and let it settle. Add more soil around plant and tamp down lightly around root ball with hands. Add more soil to create a shallow bowl around trees so you can fill with additional water.
When planting larger trees, potted or B&B, the only difference would be the width of the hole. You need to go about 8" wider than the root ball itself, keep trees a bit on the high side in heavy clay soils about 1 inch. Planting trees too low kills more trees than anything else. Make sure you measure twice before you plant the tree. If you have to pull the tree out because the depth is wrong, you may damage or kill it.
NOTE: Before backfilling any plants make sure the best and the widest side faces out. This alone makes a real difference in the look of the jobs appearance.

Installing Plastic Weed Barriers

Make sure before laying any plastic down all beds are raked free of any rocks or clumps of dirt that my puncture plastic. Remember, weeds will grow through very small holes in plastic. If you don't do a good job laying the plastic, you'll be back to do it all over again. This is much worse than doing it right the first time.
Roll out enough plastic that's easy to work with. Start tacking with staples or anchoring down with shovels of rock along the whole foundation. Make sure you have extra plastic because it pulls down when you dump the rock. Pull plastic tight, working your way towards the bed line. Circles or X's will need to be cut in plastic to allow for plants to fit through. It's very important that these circles or X's don't get too big. Reach through the opening and gather branches together to fit through the opening. Continue tacking down plastic until you get to the edging. Leave extra plastic overhang the edging; this will pull down when rock is dumped. Plastic can be trimmed off and poked down with an edging spade after rock is installed.

Rock and Mulch Installation

After plastic is properly installed you can then start adding rock to planting bed. Always fill wheel barrow only with as much rock as you can handle. Too heavy of a load may cause an accident, rock spilled on grass, damage of plant material and extra clean up time. Start dumping rock in small piles from the back and work your way foreword. Big piles of rock are more difficult to rake out and too much rock in the planting bed wastes time and material. Rake out rock to 3" in depth. Stand back and take a look at the level of the rock, add and rake out where needed. By using the backside of the rake you can fine tune your rock level. Don't leave your rake pointing up! This can cause a serious injury.
When installing mulch to new landscapes, go 4" deep. A thick layer keeps the weeds down and it will settle 1-2". Fabric weed barriers are available, but we don't use or recommend them because weeds will grow on top like a sponge. The key is proper bed preparation to make it as weed free as possible. It's best to spray the beds with Round-Up a week or two before to kill everything down to the root. On steep slopes dead weeds or grass may be mowed down, sprayed with round-up and then mulch is installed on top. This helps hold the mulch from washing away and reduces disposal costs.

Cleaning up the Job Site

Keeping the site clean and clear of tools and debris is important. Think of the site as a workbench. A cluttered work area looks bad and makes it more difficult to work. Stack up pots as you plant. Put plastic and mulch bags in one bag, this is so it doesn't blow all over the place. Cleaning up any areas that may be finished during the day, this will save time completing the job.
Sweep up site, and wash down sidewalk, driveway and street if needed. Wash off all rocks and mulch. The rock may take several washings or rainfall before the true color shines through.

Final Site Inspection

After clean up is done inspect the site to make sure you didn't forget anything. Plastic sticking up, crooked plant material, tags on plants, etc. Now you have a home installed landscape with a professional touch.