As the snow melted and we were able to get back to "regular" winter maintenance activities, we are seeing direct and indirect impacts to landscapes due to the winter storms. We are working to correct or repair those impacts but many will take time.
Lawn Damage and Cold Impact
Most lawns were impacted by the cold and snow-pack and are not as "green" and healthy as usual. Winter is always tough on lawns but this winter has been harder than normal. Most lawns will recover, but it will not be quick as many are dormant. As weather warms in March, they should all begin to look better.
Some lawns were damaged by cars and even snow plows (the city and counties plows, not ours) and will take some repair to correct. Tire ruts and skinned off sod are sporadic around the Portland metro area. We are working on repairing those.
Cold Damaged Shrubs
The temperatures dropped into the single digits and set an all-time low in Hillsboro. Most plants are hardy but single digits will either frost burn some back or possibly kill a few. We will monitor your plants and let you know of any specific losses. Many plants burn back to ground but grow back from the base. Our primary recommendation will be to cut them back hard and see if they come back before replacing. Large plantings of burned plants may require addition charges to cover dump fees or removed material.
Cold Damaged Pansies
Pansies are actually very cold tolerant. They wilt back when frozen but rebound when warmed up. We are confident most will recover but those in most exposed spots or in spots may be damaged beyond repair. We are treating all with fertilizer and fungicide next week to help them bounce back.
