True North Times
July 2010
Almost 2 months have passed since our last True North Times. We’re nearly finished the majority of spring work we sold and are now looking at a little break before the late summer and fall push of work begins. Every season is unique, this year being no different. What a crazy bunch of weather we’ve had since March! I thought I’d take a few lines to talk about turf fertilization. With all our moisture, followed by heat and humidity, there have been a lot of fungal issues showing up and so its been on my mind. There’s 2 things I think a homeowner should never do themselves and should ALWAYS hire out if they’re able. One is install a patio (WAY to much work!). Two is fertilize your own grass. The difference I’ve seen over the years in properties that only fertilize even 3 times (we like and offer a 5 step program), is HUGE. To those of you who fertilize your own turf, achieve a decent result, and enjoy it, I applaud you! But think about it… you have to purchase/own a spreader, store and maintain it. Then you have to take the time to go out and buy fertilizer and herbicide, or a weed and feed mix. THEN, you have to take the time to mix it, spread it, and hope you applied it right! Are you really ahead? Anyways, in the two pictures, both are commercial properties we maintain. Pics were taken in May, one is on a program, the other is not. Can you say Dandelions? And with the moist and warm conditions we had this spring, BOY did we have dandelions! There’s about a 2-3 week period where if you cut them one day, the next day they’re back! Anyways, there’s no ‘magic wand’, but if you give a turf fertilization, ‘weed and feed program’ a try over an extended period, you’ll never go back. If you’re gonna have grass anyways, healthy grass just looks good. A green vibrant lawn also chokes out weeds (violet, clover, dandelions, and crabgrass to name a few), rather then the other way around. Ask us about our five step program, coupled with fall aeration and overseeding, you’ll see noticeable results over time, usually within one season.
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PLANT OF THE MONTH
Canada Red Chokeberry
I love this tree for lots of reasons. Where I grew up in Canada, Chokecherry bushes are everywhere in the wild. The sweet/tart berries are used for jam, wine, or eating straight off the bush. This is the tree version of that hardy shrub, minus the fruit. They are VERY hardy (Zone 2), and make a great ‘hybrid’ when you want something bigger then an ornamental, but smaller then an all out shade tree. Very discreet white flowers in spring, with leaves that start out green but then turn to a dark maroon, almost like a Crimson King Maple. Up to 25′ tall x 18′ wide, broadly pyramidal in form. Just a great, hardy, pretty tree that is somewhat under utilized here.
Bubbling Rock & Basalt Column
We’ve installed a LOT of bubbling features this year! Why? Well, they’re an affordable, easy way for anyone to have the movement and sound of water, especially in a small or intimate space, without the cost of a larger pondless feature or water garden/pond. Our most common are the two pictured, just a good old, drilled piece of ‘moss rock’ sandstone from southern Indiana, OR a more expensive but super cool drilled piece of Basalt from Mongolia (they’re super dense, heavy, and look like wet, rusted metal… AWESOME). Some recent comments from two homeowners have been… ‘It seems like such a little thing, but I just love sitting on the porch now or driving home and seeing it’, and ‘I can’t tell you how such a simple thing has brought so much enjoyment, hearing it and watching the birds that come’. Let us know if you’d be interested in a bubbler! They install quickly, are beautiful, and are VERY maintenance friendly.
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Sincerely,
Cory Gliege
True North Landscaping
