Category : Landscaping

Winter can be a slower time in the landscaping business with fewer outdoor projects due to weather constraints.  But cold weather and frozen ground are the perfect working conditions to remove buckthorn from Vermont’s native landscape.  What is buckthorn?  Where did it come from?  Why should we remove buckthorn from our woodlands and landscapes?

Buckthorn, specifically common or European buckthorn, (Rhamnus cathartica) came to the United States from Eurasia in the 1800’s as a landscape plant for hedging.  Lacking natural pathogens and pests in its new North American environment, the buckthorn quickly escaped the landscape and began overtaking native woodlands.

Common buckthorn grows to to a mature height of 20′-25′ tall.  Buckthorn trunk diameter can grow up to about 10″ but most that we see in the Champlain Valley go from 1/2″ to 4.” Buckthorn has a glossy darker brown bark with noticeable lenticels.  Lenticels look a little bit like dashed lines making rings on the tree.  Older buckthorn has a rougher bark that may even peel a little bit like birch bark.  Common buckthorn has a very distinctive orange color sapwood which is located right under the bark.   With a simple scrape of a pruner or finger nail, you can easily make positive identification.  In the fall buckthorn holds green leaves well after other trees are bare.  Buckthorn trees tend to form dense tangled thickets crowding out light.  This species is a very prolific seeder and produces tons of little black berry-like fruits on the female trees.  Birds love eating the berries and readily spread the seeds with a little dose of fertilizer.

So why do we need to remove buckthorn from our Vermont woodlands?  Buckthorn crowds out native understory plants.  Buckthorn also crowds out successive species and can slow or stop natural forest succession.  Imagine woodlands without sugar maples…..  Forests that lack diversity of plants species soon begin to have lack of diversity in wildlife species as well.  The dense thickets of buckthorn shade out forest floor wildflowers and perennials which are key to stabilizing forest soils and preventing erosion.

So back to winter and how to remove buckthorn.  S & D Landscapes uses a technique that works with the native landscape and preserves soil integrity.  First we go through the woods and identify all the saplings of native species “hidden” in the buckthorn we want to preserve.  We then cut the buckthorn as close to the ground as possible and detangle the cut buckthorn thickets into piles.  We use our mini skid steer with grapple to gently weave the piles through the woods without damaging other trees and saplings.  The buckthorn is then chipped and the chips can be left on site as a mulch or we can haul them away for biomass fuel. As the cuts are still fresh we use an oil-carried systemic herbicide on the freshly cut stumps–application of this herbicide requires professional licensure.  Why herbicide?  The more “organic” option is to pull out the roots of the buckthorn.  We do not like to do this as stump pulling activities can damage the roots of desirable native species.  Pulling stumps loosens already fragile soil making erosion inevitable–further damaging native plants.  And finally, turning over soil and exposing it to air and light unleashes the ENORMOUS seed bank of buckthorn seeds dropped over the last five years creating a resprouting situation capable of doubling or tripling the parent buckthorn density.

Buckthorn management doesn’t end with removal and cut-stump treatment.  Nature abhors a vacuum and the buckthorn has a large seedbank.  Ongoing treatment during the growing season of the small buckthorn sprouts will minimize future need of large scale buckthorn removal.  It is also important to replenish the woodland with native species.  S & D Landscapes can help you plan, select, and install a variety of native understory perennials, shrubs, and trees that will help restore and reclaim your native woodlot.

Summer is upon us here in the Champlain Valley and the mercury is rising, school is out and everyone is rushing out to enjoy the weather and some additional free time.  As we do that we notice that our lawns are brown and our landscapes are looking a bit sad.  We offer below some helpful watering tips to keep those lawns and landscapes performing with the smartest use of water.

The discussion begins with WHAT we are watering—lawn/turf or landscape planting—specifically what type of planting—tree, shrub, perennial, annual, or even vegetable garden.  Knowing WHAT we are watering will determine WHEN we should water and HOW we should water.

Beginning with lawns/turf as this is where we can typically see drought stress first.  In northern Vermont our lawns are predominantly a blend of Kentucky bluegrass varieties, fine fescue varieties, some perennial ryegrass varieties, and some tall fescue varieties.  All of these varieties are cool season turfs meaning they stop actively growing in temperatures above ~80 +/- degrees F.   Cool season grasses lose most of their water to a process called evapotranspiration (ET) where water is lost through the leaves of the plant (transpiration) and then evaporated into the environment.  Evapotranspiration occurs most rapidly under hotter temperatures and low relative humidity.  This means that your lawn will require more water under hot weather conditions or conditions with exceptionally low relative humidity.  The first is easy to track, but most of us when the temps are in the 60’s and 70’s don’t particularly track the humidity and this is where we miss the most watering.  The spring of 2015 saw huge ET losses to low relative humidity and lack of rainfall—many lawns were damaged because it happened early and irrigation systems weren’t on yet and it seemed to early to lug hoses and water lawns.  Evapotranspiration (ET) rates can also be changed by rooting depth—the more deeply a plant is rooted the more access to soil water it has and can replace water lost to ET.  Grass roots more deeply when the top (leaves) are cut at heights higher than 3”.  Dry weather conditions as well as ET water loss releases hormones in the grass and causes the elongation of fine root hairs (note here that heat stress can be good for further root development).  Water management for cool season turf then takes on a more holistic approach that includes mowing and fertility.  The goal of a summer water program should not be to push growth in cool season turf (unless under an athletic field program) but rather to simply replace water lost to ET and to keep grass crowns and rhizomes from drying out and dying.  To do this we recommend increasing mowing height to 3”-3.5”, mow with a sharp blade, and provide ample fertility–2 to 4 lbs of actual nitrogen per 1000 ft^2 split in four to five applications through the season.  This nitrogen should be >50% slow release.  Then, adherence to the mantra, water as deeply as possible as infrequently as possible, is key for building a great turf root system as well as developing healthy, well adapted, cool season turf grass.  The actual amount of water needed varies from site to site based on how exposure and soils affect the ET rates of the grass.  We would be happy to help you perform a site irrigation audit to assist you in developing a great watering program.  All watering of turf should begin at about 4 AM and should be wrapped up by 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM.  It is best to not keep blades of grass wet after dark particularly during hot weather.  Sprinklers installed with an appropriately designed irrigation system have the best, most even, and most efficient delivery of water to the turf.  We work with two irrigation companies in the area and would be happy to refer you based on your needs.

Vermont Irrigation and Aquarius Landscape Sprinklers

The how and when of watering landscape elements—trees, shrubs, and perennials is very different from turf watering practices.  Landscape plants still lose water through ET, but because they have larger and deeper root systems than turf, these plants have access to more water stored in the soil.  Because of the deeper root system it is important to not over water these plants as it will stunt root zone development—remember not all stress is bad.  In fact, unless just being established properly located (right plant in the right place) landscape plants should require almost no supplemental water post establishment.  We strongly discourage irrigation systems in landscape plantings except in a very limited number of circumstances.  We also in these circumstances prefer drip systems due to the timing of establishment watering.  Establishment watering of new landscapes is key.  Plants that get put in the ground during a new installation are growing on limited root systems either established in the ground and then cut or established in a pot and constrained.  In all circumstances, nursery stock must remain watered multiple times per day to keep the foliage growing well on its limited roots.  When transplanted into the new landscape the roots can now grow into the soil, but they must have some of the old watering habits to nurse the landscape plants through this process.  Upon installation we suggest daily watering in the morning and the evening simply using the open end of a garden hose.  Thoroughly soak the root zone of the plant with a good volume of water making sure to soak the transplanted root system as well as the surrounding soil.  Depending on soil type you might have to water each plant in short bursts you may flood to a run-off point before you have thoroughly soaked into the soil profile.  Having a trowel or soil probe to poke down into the soil to check for moisture at depth is key.  After a few days of morning and evening we suggest backing off to evenings only depending on weather.  In the evening check the plants—if the sun has gone down and things are cooling off and the plants are wilting—provide ample soaking.  If the plants are not wilting and the soil tests dry, water deeply just as you water the wilting plant.  If the plant is not wilting and the soil is damp, pass on watering.  Check the next night.  The idea of this process is a slow weaning of the plant off of the regular watering.  Note that hotter days will require more attention as will days with a heavy breeze and low relative humidity.  As we get ample rainfall stretch the distance between watering and only water if absolutely dry and wilting.  When plants work for their water under stress conditions (within reason) they release hormones that allow for further root hair growth and become more suited to their environment and require less input from us the landscape managers.  This makes the plants more resistant to drought, disease, and insects.

The keys to a good turf and landscape watering program are

-Proper plant selection and proper turfgrass variety selection is key in reducing the need for water.

-A calibrated and consistent method for delivering water to the plants/turf in need delivers the best results without wasting water.

-More does not make enough better—plants and turf that work for water (not overwork) become better suited to their environment and in the long term require less input.

-Observation is key—follow the plant and turf cues for watering.  In plants wilting leaves even after the cool of the evening and in turf loss of color.

Do you feel your landscape requires too much water?  Are you struggling to provide enough water to keep things looking sharp?  Is your new landscape installation struggling to adapt to its new home?  We would love to meet with you to discuss how we can renovate and maintain your lawn and landscape to give you the most performance with the least amount of watering input.

Today’s post on lawn fertilizers is from Joe Charbonneau from Valley Green Turf  of Holyoke, MA.  Joe lives in Manchester Vermont and supplies golf course and lawn care companies through out Vermont and northern New York.  Before working with Valley Green, Joe spent a number of years as the superintendent of the Equinox in Manchester.  Joe has been working with us since 2008 supplying fertilizers and consulting in special cases.  We are honored to have him share his knowledge about turf fertilizers with us today.  So without further fanfare here’s Joe……

A fertilizer provides a balance feeding for grass/turf plants just as food and drink does for our bodies.  There is not just one nutrient that the plant requires to flourish but many which will be discussed in general terms in this posting.  We will also discuss organic vs synthetic based components that comprise each and every bag or gallon.

The Label is broken up into numbers that represent both the macro and minor nutrient content of the product. The “big 3” or N-P-K are the big bold numbers that are represented by the percent in the bag.

• N- Nitrogen: supplies the food for top growth and color for the grass plant. Affects all metabolic processes of the plant
• P- Phosphorous: supplies food for root, rhizome, and stolon growth of plant. Essential for seeding   Remember: application of P to established turf without a soil analysis stating that there is a P deficit is against state regulations in both Vermont and New York.
• K- Potassium: supplies food to the plant that assists with rigidity of plant through enhancing cell structure

One will also find a listing of minor nutrients found in the bag that will include Calcium which is thought by some as being part of the “big 3” because of its relationship to plant and soil structure. Also the minor elements Iron, Magnesium, and Manganese will be listed, all of which have an impact on chlorophyll production or “greening without growth”.

The label will also list sources of nutrients such as:

• Synthetic- Urea, Methylene Urea, Ammoninical Nitrogen, UMAXX, UFLEXX, SCU, XCU, Duration, and SurfCote. All these Nitrogen sources have different longevity of releases and speed of release which equates to how hot the fertilizer is on the plant, burn potential and longevity.
• Mineral- Sulfate of Potash, Muriate of Potash, Phosphorous- Mined from the earth
• Organic- SunFlower Ash, Poultry Liter, Feather Meal, Blood Meal, Bio Solids

When a consumer or professional turf manager selects a Fertilizer Formulations all these aspects of the fertilizer label are considered in the selection.  Often times a soil analysis is examined and deficits of nutrients are also addressed.

As a person with over 40 years as a turf manager, consultant, and now sales of turf products; here are a few basics of choosing an appropriate fertilizer for your lawn.

• Examine the N-P-K of the label to figure how much Nitrogen is in the bag and ensure more value for the dollar. This is done by multiplying the %N by the pounds of fertilizer in the bag so a 50# bag of a 25-0-5 has 12.5# N in the bag. A 50# bag of 25-0-5 has twice the N and twice the square foot coverage as a 25# bag.
• Examine how much slowly available (slow release) Nitrogen is in the bag. Most bags available to the consumer at a big box store are between 15-30% slowly available N.  This is fine for early season application to get a short lived, fast growth burst to quickly recover from the ravages of winter, but sustained, steady growth is the goal of a fertility program for your lawn. Look for a minimum of 40-70% slowly available Nitrogen to achieve healthier turf and less spikes in growth.
• Slowly Available Nitrogen coupled with small amounts of readily availabe Nitrogen in a bag gives you the ultimate in balance of cost.
• Nitrogen Sources will vary your release also. Methylene ureas depend on soil temperatures, coated material need both water and soil temps, and organics need both soil temps and water to change nutrients to available forms so the plant can utilize it.  Organic fertilizers also add one additional very important element: CARBON which is the key to growth in the soil.
• Want to jump on the CARBON wagon?? This is an investment the soil that turf grows in and will cost more money and takes a couple of years before the investment starts to pay dividends.

Bottom Line here is “that all fertilizers are alike but not the same”.  Unless you know the relationship between plant and soil, get the advice from a Lawn Care Professional.  By applying fertilizer high in readily available Nitrogen will produce a lot of lush top growth and at first observation look great but the plants roots and soil environment have not been addressed.  When environmental stresses hit of summer or winter, the roots and soil will not get the top growth of the plant through the period and thus will go dormant or perish.

Does your lawn fertilization program need help?  Aaron or Joe would love to talk to you about how you can improve your turf while keeping to your budget.  S & D Landscapes is proud to offer a wide variety of professional turf care programs.

Athletic turf is America’s most high profile lawn–from the Master’s golf tournament in Augusta Georgia, to Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, Americans spend hours watching teams from little league to the major leagues show off their skills on athletic turf.  Athletic turf most often shows up at schools and park districts and it broader than just baseball, football, and soccer fields.  Playgrounds also require management similar to athletic fields.  Because most of these facilities are in the public eye and involve our children, there are strong feelings, that are not necessarily scientifically founded, that skew the way we are allowed to manage the athletic turf.  We have invited friend and mentor Tim Madden from Northeast Nursery, Greenhouse, and Turf Supply to give some guidelines for some practical athletic turf management techniques.  Tim has an extensive background from the world of golf courses.  He was past superintendent at the Edison Club, Mount Snow Resort, and the Equinox–so without further fanfare here is Tim…….

Today’s expectation for the quality of the playing surface is pretty high for most of our outdoor games, but seemingly seldom able to please either the athlete or coaches. For decades now television has shown us just how perfect a venue for competition can be; The Masters, World Cup, and MLB all show us what turfgrass can look like with the right amount of knowhow and resources. The two things that many schools and towns are lacking during tight fiscal times. When money gets tight it’s typically the maintenance budget that takes a hit first, and often the maintenance of the playing fields, beyond mowing and marking, is the first area to be cut. Basic field maintenance does not have to be costly, and with a longer term view of the health of the grass, real results can be achieved.

First, test the soil by a reputable lab, and have results reviewed by a professional in the turfgrass maintenance field. The pH of the soil is typically the starting point to look at and the easiest to correct if necessary. Often this alone may result in dramatic changes to the vigor of the field. When the pH is in the correct range for the soil type and grass species the other nutrients in the soil are more readily available for the plants to use resulting in stronger, healthier fields. Adjustments and additional inputs can be made after this has been realized.

Secondly, make some holes. Athletic fields take a beating, and much of it concentrated in a few small areas; in soccer It’s at the goals and centerfield, in baseball the outfielders positions and the mound walk-off. You see this wear because the constant traffic compacts the soil eliminating the space between soil particles, pore space. Without pore space there is no place for water and air in the soil. Water as we all know is necessary for all life. The air in the soil is required for the chemical reaction to take place that allows water and nutrients to enter the root hairs to nourish the plant. Aerating the fields routinely helps relieve the compaction and results in a soil that can hold the air and water necessary for growth. This process does take a specialized piece of equipment of which there are many options, some better than most. The ability to make a deep, clean hole with proper spacing is key. Many machines only take shallow, widely spaced plugs and are more of a ‘feel good’ program than those that offer real results. Check with a company that focuses on turfgrass maintenance and see if they have the equipment and staff to do this properly.

Third, understand that not all grasses are created equal. Seed companies spend years and a whole lot of money, to breed and test grass species for specific applications; wear tolerance, drought tolerance, color, dwarf habit, low fertility needs, and much more. These typically are not what you will find on the shelf at your local hardware store. Sales people and your lawn care specialist are up to speed on what’s available and the best option for a specific area of use. What’s best on a soccer field may not be the same for around the school grounds. For additional information look at the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) website. Overseeding into an established stand of grass at aerating time is a great strategy, the holes make for very good seedbed; protected from foot traffic as they germinate and start to grow, and not as likely to dry out quickly being out of direct sunlight. Introducing newer species chosen for your site will help with the long term improvement of your fields.

Fourth, fight the weeds. This is a sensitive topic these days with pressure on to reduce the use of pesticides. But strong arguments can be made for the use of periodic applications of control products to reduce the populations of broadleaf weeds and weed grasses in in a playing surface, not the least among them is the safety of the athlete. While one goal of a good field may be to allow proper roll of the ball, proper traction and cushion during falls is another. High populations of clover, dandelion, plantain, crabgrass, and other weeds, diminishes those qualities sought for a great field. Organic options are available though, at this time, not especially effective and much more costly than traditional herbicides.

This was by no means meant to be a definitive’ how to’ take care of your fields, but a quick review of some of the basics required for managing turfgrass. Always consult with professional in turfgrass management before acting on any of these steps, there’s a bit more to each of them than what’s been written here.

To maximize the maintenance budget of your local parks and schools we suggest consulting with a turf professional like Tim or Aaron to get a balanced, budget friendly, environmentally sound, and effective athletic turf management program in place.

Spring is just around the corner here in Essex Vermont and many will begin thinking about a spring clean-up for their landscape.  We love our bark mulch here and a fresh layer of bark mulch around trees and plants can be just the shot in the arm that wakes us up from the winter blues.  I know for me just the smell of the fresh mulch really tells me that the winter has passed and we are on to new and fresher things.

One of the most important areas to mulch during the spring clean-up in your landscaping is around trees.  Trees benefit hugely from mulch rings for the following reasons:

-lessened compaction of the root zone

-no competition from turf

-reduced soil erosion

-water preservation

-protection from string trimmers and lawn equipment

If you have trees in the landscape that stand alone in lawn areas or in green belts mulch rings are a great plan.  Incorrect mulch ring installation can result in long term damage and even death of the tree.  Below are some pictures of trees that are improperly mulched.  Note how the mulch ring is small and the mulch covers the trunk of the tree–particularly the root flare.

Mulch rings should be a minimum of 6′ in diameter and should be spade edged to prevent grass from creeping into the mulch.  Mulch should be a shredded bark product ~3″ in total depth, and should not cover the root flair of the tree or any portion of the trunk.

Here is a schematic showing an appropriate mulching arrangement.

Mulching trees is imperative to good tree health, but there is too much of a good thing.  Please don’t just dump and run mulch up on the trunk of the tree and covering the root flair.  This is the #1 cause of stem girdling roots which if left unchecked are fatal to the tree.  The best suggestion is leave the spring clean-up and landscape maintenance to the pros to insure the long term health of the trees in your landscape.