It's been a long winter and we got delayed in our spring prep in February due to weather, but over the past few weeks we have caught up. We are still diligently preparing for spring. Tomorrow marks the first day of spring and the weather this week is a clear indication that spring is not just near, it is here. The landscapes will soon be coming to life and the work that we have completed this winter has us ready for the exciting spring season.
We have not done much mowing this season due to, and thankfully because of the weather. February was quite cold and even snowy, keeping the lawns dormant. We are getting back into our mowing routine this week and are really appreciating the improving drier weather.
Much of our focus this winter has been pruning and preparing our shrub beds for the season. Is most intensive work in the shrub beds during the winter? Some ask us if there's anything to do in the landscape during the winter and this surprises us as we are very active and believe some of the most important work that we do is during January and February. Many plants, especially deciduous ones, are best to prune during the dormant season. For us, all plants are touched up or intensely pruned this time of year to get prepared for the coming season. Our pruning during the spring and summer is normally just to maintain height control as is the best time to structurally prune plants during the dormant season.
Following a messy fall leaf drop season, we also spend much time in cleaning up and removing all the leaves and organic debris in the shrub beds. Unfortunately, some trees including most oaks, have yet to drop all their leaves as this work continues into the early spring. Part of this work is to just keep sites looking cosmetically clean, but it is also to prepare shrub beds for pre-emergent weed control application and rebar casting.
We promote and upon approval perform moss control during the winter on most lawns we maintain. Moss is very aggressive due to our dark wet winters. Our rebark amended program is treating wants in the winter, which we just are wrapping up, followed by again in the early spring, which will begin in April.
Speaking of bark dust, we highly recommend rebar testing site every other year. Bark dust decomposes and its water saving and weed control properties quickly fade after that. Bark is a great moisture control and weed control agent, and makes your project look dramatically better when maintained on an every other year basis.
As wet as it is outside now, irrigation season is only a month or two away. We have been busy for the last month and will continue through April to get our system serviced and ready for the irrigation season. We have started irrigating as early as April 1, but normally irrigation season starts sometime in May. If you see the sprinklers on in the next month, it is likely because our staff is on site twinning up your system for the season.
With the nicer weather recently, some overwintering broadleaf weeds, specifically dandelions, have begun to bloom in our program for broadleaf control. This starts as the weather improves next month. If you see if your bloomers, know that they are about to be treated if not have been already.
Winter has been busy, and spring will be busier. We're excited for the weather to improve as well as the plants to return to life and all the work that we've done this past winter to shine with beautiful landscapes in the spring and summer.
