These plants are very hardy, deer resistant and adapt to almost any soil condition as long as it’s not too wet. Perfect for someone that claims they have a brown thumb!

Best time to plant is in July / August.

If you are environmentally conscious, have children or pets, then choose a pre-emergent fertilizer that contains corn gluten. Common chemically based fertilizers will give you a quick fix in the short term – it’s like giving your lawn a sugar rush but it makes your lawn weaker. We prefer the environmentally friendly nutrients from a corn gluten based product which will penetrate at a much slower rate and release the nutrients slowly for about 6 – 8 weeks.

If your goal is to have a weed free lawn, then feed it nutrients two or three times a year, seed it, cut high and leave your clippings on the lawn when mowing. All of these are standard practices for us!

….Now if only they made a product to get rid of the stink bugs that have been plaguing our gardens and homes!

- Apply weed control in early Spring-  When the ground is 50 degrees and the Forsythias are starting to bud that is an indication that the buried weed seeds will make their appearance. Corn gluten weed control should be applied around this time. Don’t worry if you missed your window of opportunity. You can use a post emergent weed control later.

- Aerate and seed – The beauty of aerating is that it opens and loosens the soil so that nutrients can be better absorbed. The combination of high quality seeds will encourage a thicker lawn. Fertilizer can be applied after germination.

- Feed your lawn –  Your soil will be less susceptible to diseases and drought resistant when you feed it corn gluten fertilizer every 6-8 weeks.

-Mow high – When you mow too short (about 2″) the weeds will be in a better environment to thrive and you run the risk of scalping your lawn which encourages lawn that looks burnt. By  mowing high (3″-3.5″) the weeds will not be able to get sunlight and its chances to compete are slim. Your lawn will be able to retain moisture and crowd out those pesky weeds.

-Leave the grass clippings- When the grass clippings are returned to the soil you are adding nutrients right back in. You can also opt to use the grass clippings for your compost bin if you have one.

- Get a soil test - A soil test will tell you what your lawn lacks in nutrients. A test will also tell you if your soil is too acidic.

A better lawn will encourage you to enjoy your landscape a little more and it’s also a small step to a better environment!

Benefits of dormant pruning:

• Promote better fruit for the year
• Keeps the tree from getting too tall
• Allows light to penetrate from the top
• Eliminate weak limbs so that the stronger will prevail
•  It allows the wood to recover faster
• It’s easier to view the dead and damaged wood
• The bark is less likely to tear

If it’s has been several years since your tree was pruned,  and it is moderately healthy you may be able to revitalize it. More work is involved because neglected trees are much taller and will require aggressive pruning and pest control.

Sunscald can be prevented by wrapping the trunk in the Fall with a commercial tree wrap, plastic tree guards, or any other light-colored material and removing it in the Spring.

Newly planted trees, young trees, and thin barked trees (cherry, crabapple, honey locust, linden, maple, mountain ash, and plum) are susceptible to sunscald. Trees that have been pruned at the bottom may also be sensitive because they are and no longer protected from the shade.

Fortunately, in most cases, the tree will grow another layer of bark and it will end up resembling a callous.

I had seen the property beforehand since this is the same road to get to my son’s school. I never knew that the house was occupied by an elderly woman.  The property was maintained monthly by relatives who had to make a two hour commute. The yard work would take most of the day and not leave much for family time. Having lost her husband in his thirties, Barbara’s mother Olga found peace in creating a garden that bloomed all season long. But as the golden years approached, she didn’t have the strength for the upkeep.

Our first task was to clean out all the beds and eventually start removing dead plants. Ten visits and 50 bags later,  the yard was transformed. The beds were edged, overgrown shrubs were pruned and a hazardous chestnut tree was cut. The neighbors would come by and thank us and tell Olga that her yard was coming together again. Unfortunately, Olga wanted us to keep things the way they were and was not happy that Barbara hired us to clean up the yard.

Barbara and I had great ideas for Olga’s yard. The creation of a 3 ft tall garden bed on the side to plant her favorite flowers. She loved peonies and bleeding hearts. I checked in on her in the winter of 2010 during a snowstorm.  She had a suspicious cough and I called her family to notify them. I then took her to her doctor. She had pneumonia and I brought her back home and offered to pick up her antibiotics. Sadly, in the beginning of spring of 2010, Olga passed away.  Her peonies bloomed and so did her favorite rhododendron. At her burial, the flowers from her garden were cut and each person was given one to place on top of her casket.

Although it was not part of our scope of work, after Olga’s death we helped bring everything down from the attic and into the garage so that the family can sort through the piles of paperwork, furniture and family heirlooms. Items were tagged for hauling away to the dump and we picked it up when we were in the area. It took about four months to have the house cleared.  Eventually it was sold in the summer. I was glad that we were able to help a deserving family.

In the end, the biggest challenge for me was not the detail work, but trying to preserve Olga’s independence. Barbara warned me that her mother would resist having any plant material removed or pruned. I had to try my best to get the job done. Once a week, the crew worked gingerly and the project took longer than expected. There were times when Olga would reprimand me for pruning her overgrown rhododendrons and so work had to be postponed. Barbara would then call her mother and encourage her to let us continue.

Eventually Olga warmed up to me.  She showed me her gardening books with her side notes. She missed her husband and gardening for Olga was an escape.  Watching the crocuses, tulips and peonies bloom brought her happiness. Giving freshly cut flowers to a neighbor or stranger, as I learned later, was what she enjoyed most. I hope she was able to see her garden bloom once again before she got her set of wings.

Here are some articles relating to the ban:

Read the New York Times article here

Read the Fox New York article here

So which number in the bag represents phosphorus?

Each fertilizer has three distinct numbers which represent the weight of each nutrient.   The first number is nitrogen, the second number is phosphorus, and the third number is potassium. Nitrogen helps promote color, phosphorus helps promote strong root growth, and potassium helps grass withstand stress.

The only time that phosphorus will be required and approved by the state is when you are establishing a new lawn.  If a soil test is required feel free to contact us. The results take between 7 – 10 days and the proper amount will be recommended.

Beacon, NY –  Peak Landscaping participated in the 2nd Annual PLANET Day of Service at Mount Beacon Park in Beacon, NY. PLANET is the association of members who create and maintain the Quality of Life in communities across America. With more than 3,500 members companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals.

When I heard that Scenic Hudson (Hudson Valley’s largest environmental group)  was looking for volunteers to help revitalize my stomping ground, I immediately contacted Anthony Coneski, (Parks Events Coordinator) and asked to be a part of this major event. Together with local volunteers and students from Sargent Elementary School, the entrance to the park was cleared of all weeds and debris. We donated mulch and some small native plants as well.

It’s important to keep our local communities and parks clean for both residents and visitors to enjoy. By participating in the Annual PLANET Day of Service, we wanted to demonstrate goodwill and environmental stewardship. I hope that all industry professionals will follow my lead and give back to their communities.

Peak Landscaping offers detail oriented lawn maintenance services and special projects in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. For a consultation please call 888-253-PEAK.