Plant Care & Maintenance Initial watering after plants are installed is crucial. All new plants should be watered daily, especially in the hot, Summer months. Set the hose to a ‘heavy trickle’ at the base of the plant. Water perennials and shrubs for 1-2 minutes. Trees require more water. The diameter of the tree will determine the amount of water required. Approximately, 10 gallons of water per inch of diameter, per week. After 2-3 weeks of watering is established, reduce watering to a constant once per week. Frequency and duration of watering times must be adjusted depending on weather conditions. Temperature, wind, and rain will affect the amount of water needed. Do NOT over water. Always check the soil conditions at the base of the plant before watering to determine if moisture is present. If too much water is present, the foliage may be yellow. Late Fall Watering Late fall watering is essential for evergreens and trees prior to freeze up. It is beneficial to water all plant material prior to the final freeze (normally late November) to ensure plant health throughout the winter and into the following Spring. Fertilization All trees, shrubs and perennials have been fertilized prior to installation, therefore, it is not recommended to fertilize the first year. Fertilization can be done every 2-3 years, depending on the plant species. It is critical when fertilizing, to apply a light watering before fertilizer is applied and a heavy watering after fertilizer is applied to eliminate burning and drying of plant roots. The best time to fertilize is early spring or late fall. It is not recommended to fertilize between June 1st – August 31st. Plant fertilizer can be purchased at most Hardware stores. Be sure to read labels and follow the recommend instructions to ensure proper application. Know the difference between evergreen and deciduous plant fertilizers. These are generic guidelines, please be sure to check each plant individually for specific needs. Please contact us with any questions regarding your new plants. Download PDF

Initial Care on Newly Seeded Lawns Adequate moisture is the single most important component for a new lawn Lawns are not warrantied, so please contact us with any questions you may have in establishing your lawn. For seed to germinate correctly, it must remain moist through the entire germination process. The seed should be watered gently with a sprinkling device. A newly seeded lawn should be watered frequently, or short durations. Do NOT over water seed. Pooling water and excessive runoff can delay germination or wash away soil and seed. Frequency and duration of water times must be adjusted depending on weather conditions. Temperature, wind, and rain will affect the amount of water required. Water new seed 3-4 times per day, long enough to keep the seed bed moist. DO NOT LET THE SEED BED DRY OUT. Once the seed starts to germinate (typically within 2-3 weeks) the watering schedule can be reduced to 2 times per day, with an increased duration. Heavy foot traffic, riding lawn mowers, pets and any other heavy items should be kept off the new lawn until it is established. Mowing Mow your new lawn when it reaches a height you would typically mow it at. Be sure the lawn surface is dry upon mowing, so no tracks or ruts are created. Fertilization The seed was fertilized upon installation. However, new seed requires additional fertilization. An application of starter fertilizer should be applied (per directions of the bag) 3-4 weeks after seeding has occurred. Once the lawn is established, it will benefit from a regular fertilization program. Weed Control Weed growth is expected with a newly seeded lawn. Most new construction homes have topsoil brought in during construction, which may contain dormant weeds and seeds. Weeds will germinate alongside the seed. As weeds appear, mow them as you mow your new grass. After you have mowed your lawn THREE times, you can apply a ‘spot spray’ of broadleaf herbicide to the weeds. Do Not use Roundup. Download PDF

Plant Pruning Pruning plants is critical for plant health and performance Regular pruning throughout the growing season is done to harvest flowers, remove dead or diseased foliage or branches, and to allow light penetration and air flow to the interior of the plant. Pruning should always be done with a clean cutting blade to prevent the transfer of disease. Prune selectively to maintain the shape of a plant with hand pruners. Cut just above the branch crotch or dormant bud. crotch or dormant bud. • Prune any crossing or rubbing branches. Suckering branches should be pruned from the bottom of the tree. Perennials Foliage should be removed from perennials after die-back. Cut the dead foliage to the ground. It is recommended that dead perennial foliage be cut to the ground early spring, before the new foliage emerges. Evergreen Prune anytime during the spring and summer months, but do not prune after July 15. During the growing season, Pine should be pruned before the new growth has opened and become woody (usually early May). When to Prune: After Flowering / Spring-flowering deciduous shrubs Spring flowering Shrubs flower on old wood. Prune to shape after they have flowered. Examples include: Spirea (Snowmound, Arugula, Vanhoutte, Fairy Queen), Viburnum, Serviceberry, Rhododendron, Azalea, Plum, Forsythia, Honeysuckle, Lilac, Chokecherry Winter / Dormant Winter is a great time to prune because the plant is dormant. Most trees should be pruned during the winter months. Pruning in the winter also helps prevent the spread of disease and infection. Examples include: Apple, Crabapple, Ash, Aspen, Birch, Cherry, Coffeetree, Elm, Hackberry, Linden, Locust, Maple, Oak, Cotoneaster. **Rule of Thumb** “If it flowers before June 1st, prune immediately after flowering. If it flowers after June 1st , prune between November 1st and March 30th .” Download PDF

Initial Care on Newly Sodded Lawns Adequate moisture is the single most important component for a new lawn Lawns are not warrantied, so please contact us with any questions you may have in establishing your lawn Sod must remain moist from initial installation until it has rooted down. The sod roll and the first two inches of soil beneath should be saturated. Typically, this will require you to water the lawn a minimum of three times per day. Frequency and duration of water times must be adjusted depending on weather conditions. Temperature, wind, and rain will affect the amount of water required. Once the sod has rooted down, typically within 2-3 weeks (if properly watered), the watering schedule can be reduced. However, it is still important to keep watering. YOU CANNOT OVER WATER SOD To check if the sod is rooting down, try to pull up a corner. If the roots have started to catch the soil underneath and you hear a tearing sound as you lift, it is rooting down. Heavy foot traffic, riding lawn mowers, pets and any other heavy items should be kept off the new sod until the watering frequency has subsided. Walking on saturated sod can create ruts/divots in your lawn, creating an uneven surface. Mowing Do not mow until the sod is rooted down (approximately 2-3 weeks after installation). Do not let the sod get to tall for the first mowing. Be sure the soil underneath is dry, as to not create ruts. We suggest setting your mower deck to its highest blade length setting. Fertilization Sod is delivered freshly fertilized. You may fertilize your sod 6-8 weeks after installation. We recommend using a granular fertilizer with a high Potassium (K) number or a well-balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10. Weed Control Typically, no weed control is required for the first 30 days with new sod. After 30 days, a ‘spot spraying’ of a broadleaf herbicide is sufficient. Download PDF