<![CDATA[(425) 485 2663 - Blog]]>Wed, 01 May 2024 18:31:10 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[​9 Tips to Get Ready for Spring and Summer!]]>Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMThttp://advancedlandscapemgmt.com/blog/9-tips-to-get-ready-for-spring-and-summer1. Start up all your powered landscape equipment. Repair any tools that are not running at top notch. Re-fill you gas jugs with fresh gas and mix oil. Sharpen any tools that were missed last fall. Replace air filters. It is better to sort this out now than when the grass is growing like crazy!
 
2. Renovate lawns as needed. Aerate and thatch your lawns to remove moss and thatch buildup. Spread a quality grass seed and cover with a thin layer of peat moss to protect the new seeds.
 
3. Fertilize. Apply your first round of fertilizer for the year. Wake your lawn up with a slow release granular 3-1-2 or 3-1-3 ratio of nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium. Be sure not to over apply and always clean off hard surfaces like patios and walkways to prevent staining. For more fertilizer tips, peruse our September 2016 blog about fertilizer!
 
4. Apply ferrous sulfate. If you are fighting a serious moss invasion in your lawn, apply ferrous sulfate to kill off the moss. Adding a lime product will also change the soil pH to help the grass prosper while hindering the moss. Again, be sure to clean off hard surfaces to prevent staining.
 
5. Get your sprinkler system ready for spring. Repair any broken parts. Starting your irrigation system now will allow plenty of time for repairs as needed before the heat sets in. Consider updating your system to include more efficient nozzles. Double check your controller has a well-timed irrigation schedule. Installing a weather sensor is another great investment to not waste water while it is raining.
 
6. Make a plan of landscape projects you want to complete this summer. Know you budget. Find pictures of landscape designs you like as inspiration. If you plan to use a professional landscape company, contact them now before their schedules fill up for the busy summer season.
 
7. Get a jump on weeds. Apply a pre-emergent chemical to prevent weed seedlings from germinating. Be sure to read the package. Some pre-emergent chemicals are detrimental to grass and bulbs. Do not over apply.
 
8. Clean out beds and apply bark. Rake out all the leaves and debris that settled in your flowerbeds over winter. Apply a fresh 1-2 inch layer of bark to your beds. This tidies up your landscape and helps keep weeds down.
 
9. Inspect your shrubs and trees. Take note of any plants that were damaged over winter. Check your tree trunks and larger limbs for splits and cracks. Make a plan to remove any damaged and dangerous trees.  ]]><![CDATA[10 Steps for Planning a Landscape Renovation]]>Thu, 25 May 2017 05:05:47 GMThttp://advancedlandscapemgmt.com/blog/10-steps-for-planning-a-landscape-renovation 
  1. Find inspirations! The internet is full of great landscape ideas, pictures, products resources, and suggestions. Find a theme that intrigues you. Having these visions available will help with the design phase.
  2. Determine your budget. Landscape projects can get very spendy very quickly. Often a large part of the expense is in the preparation work (think irrigation, drainage, and wall and patio foundation preparation).  Having a set budget can help a landscape designer determine priorities and phases for completing the renovation.
  3. Be willing to spend $1000-$2500 on a scale design of your future landscape.  Planning your landscape ahead of time can help ensure a cohesive final product when completed in multiple phases or all at once. 
  4. Find a landscape contractor that fits your needs. The reliable contractors should be licensed, bonded, and insured; will have a great rating with the Better Business Bureau; can provide references and previous project examples; and will likely not be the cheapest option. Find a contractor that can see your vision and help guide you in the right directions to get the renovation completed.
  5. Be willing to pay a little extra for a quality project. There will always be a cheaper option for getting landscape work completed, but often the cheaper option comes with lack of quality, project completion issues, or logistical headaches for the homeowner.
  6. Plan ahead. Get HOA permission if need be, find out what permits you need, and consider the effect the project will have on your day-to-day life while being completed. Have a timeline of when you would like the project completed and start contacting landscape contractors with plenty of time to allow for design and implementation; potentially several months ahead of time.  Winter is generally much slower for landscapers and could also lead to discounts due to it being the slow season.
  7. Be open to changes and suggestions. The design process can often lead to discovering many ideas and challenges that you never even considered. 
  8. Be willing to wait for the right contractor or time of year if need be. Large landscape projects are not worth rushing.
  9. Don’t choose the cheapest materials and landscape products. Long term, the higher end products will last and remain intact and beautiful. And do not skimp on the unseen project elements: drainage is very important, particularly in the PNW; proper foundations for walls and patios are crucial; and a quality irrigation system is necessary for most landscape designs.
  10. Get ready to let your creative juices flow and prepare yourself for endless possibilities.
 
 
]]><![CDATA[Tree Pruning Basics that Everyone should Know ]]>Wed, 11 Jan 2017 04:25:38 GMThttp://advancedlandscapemgmt.com/blog/-tree-pruning-basics-that-everyone-should-know
Picture

Photo Credit: http://www.gardeningbasicseattle.com/blog/?p=224
Winter is a great time to get your landscape trees pruned and ready for the next growing season. With the tips detailed below, you will have beautiful, healthy trees for a lifetime. 
 
Step 1: Safety First.
If you are working on a ladder, be sure to have help to prevent a fall.
Wear personal protective equipment: safety glasses, gloves, boots, hardhat, chaps for chainsaws
Be sure you are comfortable with all the equipment you will be using.
Always be sure to use sharp tools. This makes for a nice clean cut and makes your job easier. 
 
Step 2: Making the Cut
Your best bet is to cut at a "Y" Follow a branch tip back to where it connects to limb or the limb connects to the main trunk. This is the best location to cut. Trimming just the tip off (heading back) can encourage the tree to rebound causing unsightly vertical shoots. 
Be sure not to cut too deep into the "Y" or too close to the main trunk. This will damage the tree and alter the healing process. However, leaving stubs that stick out is unsightly, dangerous, and also alters the healing process. See the above image for a great illustration of where to cut.
 
Step 3: The 3 D's
Always start by removing Dead, Damaged, and Diseased limbs first. 
These limbs are not beneficial to the whole tree's health and need to be removed to avoid killing the tree in the future and to reduce the chance of a dead limb breaking out during a storm and hurting someone or causing damage. 
 
Step 4: Remove Crossing Branches
Closely crossing branches can rub on each other creating open wounds that may turn into a dead, damaged, or diseased limb in the future. 
 
Step 5: Prune for Balance
Remove any limbs that are out of place and throwing your trees balance and symmetry off. If you are unsure if a limb is needed or not, have a friend hold it out of the way to better visualize before making the cut. Never remove more than 1/3 of the limbs in a growing season.
 
Helpful Hint!
Trees do best if left to grow to their biological sizes; reducing a tree's size creates pruning nightmares down the road when they rebound like crazy. If you need to reduce the size of the overall tree, it is probably not right for the space. Consider relocating it or planting one better suited for the space. 
 
Happy Pruning! 

]]><![CDATA[Do you have a soggy yard? Here are some suggestions to help during the rain.]]>Thu, 17 Nov 2016 05:07:50 GMThttp://advancedlandscapemgmt.com/blog/do-you-have-a-soggy-yard-here-are-some-suggestions-to-help-during-the-rainRedirect downspout water by piping it off the property.
Do your down spouts empty out into your flowerbeds or lawn? Consider installing underground drainage pipes to collect all the down spout water and direct it to the street. *
 
Pipe downspout water into a sump with a catch basin.
If your property does not support piping the roof water to the street, use a large sump full of drain rock. Build in a catch basin for leaves and needles that can be emptied several times a year. With out this option, the sump will clog up over time rendering the drain useless. *
 
Install a lawn drain and pipe to a sump or off the property
If you have a low spot in your yard, install a drain box to collect water that pools in that area. Install underground pipe from the box to a nearby downspout drain or the street. If those options are not feasible, drain the water into a large drain rock sump. *
 
Install a French drain at the bottom of a slope or edge of a lawn to disperse water.
Does water collect at the bottom of a slope or at the edge of your lawn? Install a French drain with perforated pipe to move the water away with out causing erosion to your landscape. *
 
Build a rain garden.
If you have a low spot that tends to stay wet and cannot be drained with a drain box, consider installing a rain garden with well draining soil. This area will be great for plants that thrive in wet environments. Convert a nasty mud hole into a beautiful garden.
 
Re-grade your lawn or bed to redirect surface runoff.
Re-grading is another option for low spots that tend to collect water. Install new soil with a large percentage of sand to help with drainage. When re-grading be sure to compact in 3-6” layers and remember to take out any high or low spots that will trap flowing surface water. Seed the area with quality grass mix and within a few weeks, your lawn will be better than ever.
 
Build a dry creek bed to adapt to the flow of water in your yard.
If water tends to form a small creek across your property during heavy rains, consider renovating that area with a dry creek-bed to reduce erosion and add a great visual feature to your landscape.
 
* Drainage pipe must have a fall of 1 inch for every 8 feet of distance to properly move water away. Always call for a utility locate before you begin digging trenches.

]]><![CDATA[Top 10 Steps for Preparing your Landscape for Winter]]>Wed, 19 Oct 2016 05:25:32 GMThttp://advancedlandscapemgmt.com/blog/-top-10-steps-for-preparing-your-landscape-for-winterWinterize your irrigation system. It is important to get all the water in your irrigation system blown out with a large air compressor. This will ensure the pipes will not freeze and burst during the cold winter months. A busted pipe could be very spendy to repair next spring.
 
Remove and drain garden hoses for storage. Leaving garden hoses attached to the house can cause serious damage during freezing temperatures. Drain hoses of their water and put them inside for winter storage. Roll them up in a nice coil and connect the ends together to prevent bugs and critters from taking refuge during the cold.
 
Install foam covers over outside spigots. If your outside spigots are designed for freezing temperatures then you are set. If not, purchase an inexpensive foam cover for each spigot at the hardware store. Well worth the time and effort to prevent a busted pipe in your house.
 
Do an oil change and add fuel stabilizer to your power equipment. Before it gets too cold to hold a metal wrench, spend a little time preparing your motorized lawn equipment for the winter. Fuel stabilizer is really helpful for preventing carburetors from getting gummed up and for preventing gas from going stale. Now would also be a good time to change the oil, sharpen any blades or chains, wash a summer’s worth of work off your equipment, and replace fuel and air filters. An air compressor with a blower nozzle will be your best friend for reaching the tight spaces that dirt piles into. You will be glad you took these precautions when you bring these tools out next spring.
 
Fertilize one last time. November is a great time to add one last fertilizer to your lawn for the season. A specific winter mix would be even better. Remember to wash out your spreaders before you store them. Fertilizer can cause the metal to rust over winter. Also, try to avoid “weed and feed” mixes. Keep those two tasks separate. Your lawn will thank you.
 
Store patio furniture. The big windstorms are headed our way. Now is the time to round up all the patio furniture and cover it up for the winter. Nobody wants to chase a patio chair in 40 mph winds. Remember to also give the grill a deep clean and disconnect the propane before you cover it.
 
Fold up and store tarps. Tarps are great at catching wind and holding water. Neatly folding dry tarps and putting them in storage for the season will ensure you have quality tarps next year. Also, tarps are very handy for collecting leaves. Maybe save this tip for after all the leaves have vacated the trees.
 
 
Cut back ornamental grasses. Once your ornamental grasses have turned brown they are ready to be cut back for the year. Do be cautious not to cut too close to the ground and remove next year’s growth. Leaving about 3 inches should be a good standard for most grasses. Leaving the brown grass standing could add nice texture to your fall and winter landscape.
 
Cut back perennials. Generally speaking, fall and winter are a good time to cut back perennials. Some plants do prefer spring pruning. Others prefer to have the old foliage to protect next year’s fragile crown. Some do not like to have to grow through last year’s old foliage. Others will mold if left uncut. Some perennials offer seeds for birds to forage during the winter. If you are unsure, it is best to look up maintenance for your specific plants.
 
Prune your trees and shrubs.
Dormant trees and shrubs are great candidates for pruning. Be sure to have sharp tools and to make cuts that will provide the new growth pattern you wish to achieve. If you need to do any major cutbacks to reduce the size of your shrubs, now is the time to do it. Be sure to look up your specific plants to see if there are any special requirements or techniques. Some shrubs can be cut almost all the way to the ground and come up new and small next year.
 
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