Best Practices: Fertilization and Watering

Proper watering and fertilization are key to maintaining herbaceous living landscaping such as turf, flowers and grasses. Although this may be a routine that you’re well accustomed to, it’s always helpful to be reminded of the best way to handle these tasks.

Every living plant needs a certain level of irrigation. Trees and shrubs need roughly an inch of water every week, whether it comes from rain or your garden hose. The ideal amount can double during intense dry spells. When you water trees and shrubs, it’s important to focus on the roots, not the leaf zones.

A slow-drip soaker hose placed around the base of the plant works best. As opposed to sprinklers which spread water over a large turf area, soaker hoses deliver a slow and steady trickle of water to a precise area. This efficient method allows water to be thoroughly absorbed into the soil and delivered to the roots.

When it comes to fertilization, trees’ and shrubs’ specific needs depend largely on location. Trees and shrubs that are planted in the middle of a fertilized lawn receive plenty of residual fertilization from being in close proximity to well-fed turf. If they’re located in plant beds, trees and shrubs can benefit from periodic applications of slow-release fertilizer. This efficient fertilizer gives trees and shrubs a steady flow of nutrients and is less likely to be lost to runoff or leaching deep into the soil.

Trees and shrubs are sturdy and resilient, but they still need attention. Adequate watering and fertilization will help keep these larger plants happy and healthy for years to come. If you have questions or concerns about the best course of action, don’t hesitate to consult a professional.

Flood and Drought Woes

Water is a necessary ingredient for all organic life. Turfgrass requires regular watering to thrive, especially during the warm months. There can be too much of a good thing, however. With extreme weather patterns, turf can receive too much water, and other times, not enough.

As summer intensifies, periods of drought with very little rain are common. The telltale sign of drought stress is brownish grass that becomes brittle. Depressions from footprints may fail to “bounce back” when turf is walked on. A brown, crunchy lawn can certainly be discouraging. The good news is that drought effects typically look worse than they actually are.

When faced with very limited water, turf often goes into dormancy. When grass turns brown and stops growing, it’s a defensive reaction that turf uses to preserve all of its available resources. Once water becomes more available, it will green up quickly. If extremely dry conditions send your lawn into dormancy, remember that this is most often a temporary condition.

On the other end of the spectrum, extended periods of rain can leave turf areas flooded. Heavy rains cut off turf’s access to oxygen which it needs to live. The good news is that if even some of the grass blades are still in contact with air, the turf will have access to oxygen. If turf is totally flooded, the main factor that dictates survival is temperature. Turf that is flooded during cooler weather has a much better chance for survival than lawn areas that are submerged during warmer weather.

Along with damage to the turf plants themselves, wet conditions can increase the likelihood of fungal disease and insects. If a moving waterway, such as a river or stream, was the source of flooding, significant silt may have been deposited. In many cases, this can be raked away once dry, while extreme cases often require reseeding. Whatever the severity, aeration will encourage root growth, and overseeding will thicken up any damaged areas.

Turf areas are bound to experience periods of too much or too little water. While these can seem devastating, turfgrass is a resilient plant. Most of the time, flooding and drought can be addressed, and your turf areas will be thriving before you know it.

A Grand Entrance

Your entryway is the first thing visitors notice when they come to your house. A well-developed entryway can make a dramatic initial impression. From the street, your front door immediately draws the eye and can be a major asset in terms of curb appeal.

When highlighting your entryway, even small additions can go a long way. Plant beds or shrubs on either side of your front door can totally redefine the space. Symmetrical landscaping nicely frames the front door.

If there is not adequate space for plantings near your entry, flanking your front door with large pots or planter boxes can create a dramatic effect. Filling twin pots with flowers and plants of different colors, textures, and sizes creates a sense of variation within a defined area. These displays can be updated from season to season. Heat-loving sweet potato vines and petunias work well in the summer, mums contribute vibrant color in the fall, and holiday decorations liven up the winter months.

Your entryway also gives you an opportunity to share a bit of your own personality. Witty or whimsical door plaques, small statuaries, or even a flag of your favorite team can all welcome visitors and communicate something unique about your interests or personality.

Your front door is your home’s centerpiece and a focal point for drawing attention. It is a great opportunity to showcase your sense of style. Make your entryway a key element and not an afterthought!

Spring Cleaning

With spring in full swing, your grass is growing, flowers are blooming, and your yard is teeming with life. A thorough spring cleanup is a great way to kick off the new year and make way for new growth.

Lawn and garden debris accumulates over the colder months and creates obstacles to emerging perennials. Clearing your beds before new blooms have sprouted is much easier than trying to do it while protecting young, delicate annuals.

Now is a good time to prune away any dead, dying, or damaged limbs or branches. Before leaves and buds have fully filled in, it’s easy to identify which branches need to go. Pruning early also helps your trees and shrubs focus new growth toward the healthy parts of the plant, resulting in robust development.

Lawn equipment works best and lasts longest if it’s well maintained. Now is the time to make sure your mower blades are sharpened and that any other lawn equipment is in good working order.

Spring is an exciting time of year that’s full of new life and promise. Thorough cleanup and lawn prep are key to making the most of the new growing season.

COVID-19 Policies and Procedures Updated (5/25/2021)

As the information about and response to COVID-19 evolves, we continue to review and update measures to ensure the health and safety of our staff and our clients.

Here are current policies and procedures for our staff:

  • Requiring masks to be “on your person” during work hours and “on your face” when required by CDC and state guidelines
  • Regular communication and training updates to reinforce health and safety measures
  • Training on “personal network management” to minimize potential exposure outside of work
  • Providing information and resources from the CDC and local health authorities
  • Any staff member who has reason to believe they have been exposed to or is showing symptoms of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is required to stay home
  • Staggered crew start times to minimize congregation at office/shop location
  • Increased cleaning and disinfection of all vehicles, equipment
  • Increased cleaning and disinfection of common shop and office areas
  • Office/sales staff working remotely when possible
  • Internal meetings held using MS Teams videoconferencing
  • Zoom Meetings available for external videoconferencing

We are fortunate to already utilize a robust cloud-based infrastructure to operate our business, including Aspire Software, Microsoft OneDrive, Verizon VoIP office phones and Microsoft Teams.  Because of this foresight, our office and sales staff continue to work remotely and uninterrupted.

Our decision to operate is reviewed daily by our leadership team, using the following key metrics as our guide:

  • The Greater Good– can we continue to operate in a safe and morally acceptable way?
  • Employee Sentiment– is our staff fully engaged in executing our COVID SOPs (see above). Do they want to work?  Are they comfortable working in the current environment?
  • Client Sentiment– do our clients want us to continue to provide our services at their properties?
  • Business Position– does it make sound business sense to continue operations

It is important to remember that we are not a traditional office or retail setting, allowing us to create and reliably enforce sensible procedures to protect our colleagues and clients.  We have always considered ourselves fortunate to work outdoors, though perhaps never more so.

As information about COVID-19 continues to evolve, our leadership is committed to doing what is right, including offering on-site vaccination clinics and regularly updated COVID information to our staff and their immediate families.

For now, we will continue to provide you with regular updates regarding our operations and we welcome any inquires that you may have.  Office 717-292-5696  Email info@hivelylandscapes.com

Please visit our Facebook page for real-time updates, and pictures of beautiful landscapes.

Sincerely,

Ted Ventre
General Manager

cdc.gov

 

Enjoyable Outdoor Living

With winter on its way out, now is a great time to tune up your outdoor spaces for back yard gatherings as well as peaceful relaxation. Enjoyable outdoor living spaces are made up of several elements that work together to provide functional comfort. Here are some potential elements to consider and as you think about establishing or expanding your outdoor spaces.

Deck/Patio Area

The first step to vibrant outdoor living is having the space to accommodate your family and guests. In addition to sitting areas, you may also need space for dining and cooking. Thinking through all the possible uses for your patio or deck can help you begin to imagine how it could be improved or possibly expanded.

Landscape Lighting

Professional landscape lighting offers both visual and practical benefits. Landscape lighting creates stunning night time effects that transform your home and landscape with unique ambiance. Properly placed lighting also ensures safety by keeping doorways, living areas, and walkways illuminated at all hours.

Landscape Lighting

Water Features

The gentle sound of running water can add peaceful ambiance to any outdoor space. A wide range of water features exist that can suit your property and your preference. Pondless waterfalls, wall fountains and natural rock pools of varying shapes and sizes can be used to as either accents or centerpieces to your outdoor living area.

stone waterfall closeup

Outdoor Kitchens

If you love cooking already, you will love it even more outside. Outdoor kitchens range from modest grilling areas to expansive cooking spaces with a full array of counter tops and appliances. Let the experts at Hively come up with an outdoor kitchen that fits your space and your budget.

Outdoor Fire Elements

Outdoor fireplaces and smaller fire pits are the perfect features for socializing after the sun goes down. From extensive wood-burning hearths to compact gas-fueled fire bowls, fire elements offer inviting light and warmth that are sure to draw a crowd.

hardscaped patio, stone wall, and fire pit seating area

With warm weather on the way, let Hively upgrade and expand your outdoor living spaces this season!

Important Coronavirus Information

 

Valued Customers:

There has been much in the news about the coronavirus (COVID-19). Though the current
CDC risk assessment is that “for most people, the immediate risk of being exposed to the
virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low,” we take the health and safety of our
team members and clients seriously.

BELOW ARE SOME OF THE ACTIONS WE ARE IMPLEMENTING:

  • Continuous monitoring of Federal, State, and Local advisories and
    precautionary measures, regularly updating our staff and responding
    appropriately.
  • Allowing flexibility in our paid time off policies to ensure that any team member who misses work due to illness or to care for sick a family member does not suffer loss of income or other benefits.
  • Actively encouraging sick team member to stay home and notify their supervisors if they have had close contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19.
  • COVID-19 is a recordable illness. OSHA record-keeping requirements 29 CFR Part 1904 mandate that covered employers record certain work-related injuries and illnesses on their OSHA 300 log. While 29 CFR 1904.5(b)(2)(viii) exempts recording of the common cold and flu, COVID-19 is a recordable illness when a worker is infected on the job.
  • Regular disinfecting of shared Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Some of our work requires the use of PPE. Ensuring that this equipment is properly disinfected.
  • Increased frequency of cleaning and sanitation of common meeting areas at our office and shop facilities.
  • Increased cleaning and sanitation of truck and equipment operator stations.

As we monitor this evolving situation, we will continue to make decisions with the health and well-being of our team members and clients as our priority.

Timely Trimming

Trees and shrubs are a property’s most prominent features. Unfortunately, they sometimes need to be removed simply because they’ve been allowed to outgrow their designated space. Regular pruning eliminates the need for premature removal and allows you to enjoy trees and shrubs for many years to come.

One of the best times to prune trees and shrubs is the winter. When trees and shrubs aren’t actively growing, they respond well to pruning. When plants are dormant, their energy can be entirely focused toward healing wounds from pruning. The absence of leaves allows for a clutter-free work area where limbs and branches can be removed selectively. This makes for a quicker, more efficient job.

Proper pruning adds to shrub and tree longevity by addressing damage from severe weather. Decaying and diseased wood can be strategically removed so that sickness is unable to spread. Smart pruning helps control a plant’s size by removing branches that overlap and rub against each other. Excessive growth blocking driveways, walkways and windows can also be cut back.

Gorgeous, prominent trees and shrubs are your landscape’s biggest assets. Winter is an ideal time for professional pruning that will make your trees and shrubs look great in the coming spring and healthy for many years to come.

closeup of a mulch bed with a tree, roses, and other shrubs

What’s Wrecking Your Landscape?

Could it be your landscape contractor?  After all, this is not an easy job or you would do it yourself, right?  Besides the shear physical labor involved (pun fully intended), it takes a huge amount of knowledge to properly maintain a mature landscape.

Literally Thousands of Plants

There are thousands of ornamental perennials, shrubs and trees, each with multiple cultivars and varieties that have specific environmental needs and are susceptible to unique pests and pathogens.   Each of these unique plants needs to be cared for in unique ways to promote healthy, vibrant and lasting growth. Continue reading

a large mulch bed at the corner of a home. a couple smaller stones, trees and various shrubs are scattered throughout.

Just Mulch It (but do it correctly!)

Mulch is Easy

Just as sure as daffodils and cherry blossoms, fresh mulch popping up on landscapes throughout your neighborhood are a certain sign that Spring is here!  Mulch is a simple and cost effective way to give any landscape a fresh appearance and it really is beneficial, too.  Check out this link for more info on these benefits https://www.hivelylandscapes.com/2015/05/choosing-the-right-mulch/Continue reading