Green Monster Landscapes

Winter is for Pruning

2012-02-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

Really, it is. And I’m not just saying that because we don’t have any snow to push. Why prune deciduous shade and fruit trees in the winter? Let me count the ways:

1. With the crown free of leaves, it’s far easier to recognize the structural flaws within the tree.

2. By pruning during the winter months, your trees are less susceptible to pests and diseases.

3. Pruning promotes vigorous growth when the spring season begins

A bad pruning job is akin to a bad haircut. Sure it’ll grow out, but I’m sure most of my lady readers wouldn’t have their husband give them a haircut. If he doesn’t know how to properly prune a tree, I wouldn’t have him do that either. While a bad prune job will rarely kill a plant, it can result in undesirable shape, poor structural form, and might leave your neighbors laughing at you for several years. Ouch.

So what is pruning, and why is it necessary?

In its most general terms, pruning is the selective removal of parts of a plant. Why is it necessary? In the horticultural trade, pruning is exercised for several reasons, including deadwood removal, shaping, improving or maintaining health, preparing plants for transplanting, or increasing quantity and quality of flowers or fruit. In the general residential landscape, we are generally pruning for overall plant health and shape; increased flowering is generally a bonus side effect. Fruit trees are in a class of their own, and have their own special pruning requirements to maximize fruit production.

Pruning might be the most misunderstood and improperly performed landscape task by the general homeowner. With good reason, it's not easy. With the science of pruning techniques and the special requirements of so many different plants in the landscape, it is difficult for anyone but a highly trained and experienced horticultural professional to posses enough skill, experience, and knowledge to not be dangerous.

We commonly see pruning being performed at the wrong time of the year, with the wrong tools, with the wrong techniques. My recommendation to the frugal homeowner is to invest your manpower into a task such as mowing the lawn or mulching the beds, and leave the pruning to a trained professional.

I could go on and on about the process and techniques of pruning, but it is evident the internet is already bursting with this information (and I’ve already bored the average blog reader enough). If it’s a chore you really want to take on by yourself, my best advice is to read up on the best practices for your specific plants, and to invest in the proper tools (which likely does not include gas powered hedge trimmers). If you don’t want to tackle this task on your own, our tools are sharp and ready for action, and spring is around the corner!

Beating the Winter Blahs

2012-01-08T19:51:00.000-08:00

We’re nearly half way into January and the Granite State is practically free of snow cover. Well, south of the Notches anyhow. It’s been so ‘warm’ this winter, that the 30’s and low 40’s they’re calling for this week would normally be our January thaw. This year however, you can’t technically have a thaw if you haven’t had a freeze. Just when our irrigation pond was freezing over enough to skate on, the relative heat is back this way. Crazy, and where it goes from here nobody knows. Certainly not the talking heads whose words we hang on each evening at 6:15.

I have a love/hate relationship with winter. I hate its unpredictability. I love the ‘break’ we get from the non-stop action, 100 hour work weeks of the landscape season. I hate the bitter cold, I love skiing. I hate not having baseball to watch, but I love it when the NFL, NBA, and NHL are all rolling at once. I hate plowing for a 36 hour stretch, I love hanging around the house in my sweatpants for the next 2 days drinking coffee and recovering.

This year is a bit different though, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Without the snow, things aren’t the same. There’s a bit more time to pick away at our winter list; equipment maintenance, shop activity, and organizing and streamlining some of our administrative processes for next year – without being interrupted by snow. All of our marketing, sales and advertising plans are also made during the winter, because let’s face it – the time isn’t there in the summer for that stuff (well, hopefully there isn’t).

But I’ve got a minor case of the winter blahs this year. I’m not positive as to why, but here’s my theory: My least favorite time of the year is late Fall before snow blankets the ground. Everything is just so brown and blah. Aside from a few early snowstorms, we’ve been looking at that brown and blah for 3 months or so. What we need is some snow to cover all that up and makes things a bit more picturesque.

In the meantime, what’s a guy to do? Well, while the conditions aren’t exactly perfect, they’re suitable enough to work on a few landscape projects around the house. That should cheer me up, right? I have a waterfall I've been wanting to build for a long time now, it will get me out of the office and away from my computer, and I get to play with rocks and iron for a while…. yes, that will cheer me up.

Although business does go on and we can’t work on it every day, we’ve made some pretty good progress. While this is my first water feature, Dan has some prior experience so he’ll be running the show, and of course will bear all the blame if there is a leak this spring. Good luck, Dan.

Check our our progress on Facebook: Waterfall Photo Portfolio

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

2011-12-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

So fast, that I haven’t blogged since April. Oops.

To be honest, I sorta knew that was going to happen. Last winter, I talked to my friend and former landscaper turned Internet Marketing Consultant Larry Bartlett about creating a custom blog for us. Instead of paying Larry’s more than fair fee, I decided to go about on my own with some free web options. I figured it would allow me to test the waters without forking out the dough on something that I might never use throughout the summer. Sometimes, I know myself all too well.

So anyway, another landscape season is behind us. We finished up our last hardscape of the season last week and we’re starting to hunker down for winter. We’ll take whatever decent weather we have left and try to do a few projects here at my house that have been ‘on the list’ for quite some time now. It’ll be nice to finally have that waterfall done so we can softscape the back yard. I’m getting a little tired of looking at that mound of dirt.

It seems like just yesterday we started back up on the 2011 projects we rolled over from 2010. In actuality, we began those somewhere around the time of that April blog post. I guess summer (not to mention spring and fall) has a tendency to vanish when you’re pulling 50, 60, 70 and 80 hour work weeks. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. Well an occasional 40 hour work week is not an unwelcome thought, and perhaps it would help recharge the batteries. Either way, I feel very blessed to go to work every day at a job I love.

As I reflect back on the 2011 season, I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished at GML. In our ‘depressed’ economy we had a very successful season and worked on lots of great projects, for lots of great customers. We’re also very optimistic about 2012, as we are rolling some booked landscape construction projects into 2012 and we’re in the planning stages for other exciting projects for next season. This year certainly had a different feel than 2009 or 2010, both of which were very flat in terms of growth. It seems as though folks may be loosening the purse strings a bit and are moving forward with the projects they’ve had on the back burner for a bit, waiting for that first shoe in the economic upturn to drop. Whether that shoe has indeed dropped, or folks are just tired of waiting for that landscape they’ve been dreaming of I can’t say for sure. It does ‘feel’ as though the things are starting to turn around (knock on wood).

I have to admit, as much as I love my job, I’m always ready for this time of the year. The original green industry is a tough business. Always trying to squeeze 12 months of work into 8 is demanding and tiring. A slower pace for a few months (at least when it is not snowing) is critical to us being ready and excited about starting it all over again the following spring. It’s also a great time of the year for the slow down to come, just in time to spend the holidays with friends and family.

So, thanks to all of our customers, employees, vendors, Facebook friends and blog followers that helped make 2011 a successful year for us. Hopefully, we brought some enjoyment to you this year and we look forward to seeing you in 2012.

Watch Your Step!

2011-04-06T17:10:00.001-07:00

This afternoon in a fairly affluent neighborhood in Dover, NH I did a quick property walk and estimate for a potential client. While I was in the neighborhood I figured I'd take a few minutes and place some door hangers on neighboring homes.

After this exercise, I'd like to retract a statement I made during my presentation at the UNH Home Show "Installing an Interlocking Paver Patio the Right Way!” I stated it was my belief that approximately only 40% of all concrete paving stone (or natural stone for that matter) walkways and patios are installed correctly. This unofficial number was based on my travels and observations of installations by other contractors or homeowners at existing and potential clients.

After my trip through this waterfront neighborhood today I would like to adjust that number to a modest 1%-2%. No. I’m not kidding. Now, I've known for quite some time that there are a lot of bad paver installations out there. But to walk from door to door today and come across a failing walkway at nearly EVERY SINGLE HOME, even I was astounded. What astounds me even more is the number of homeowners that are willing to accept this level of workmanship.
What was so bad about these installations? Where would you like me to start? I’m quite sure I saw at least one example of every taboo paver sin known to man. Not to mention a few new design disasters I haven’t seen before. I wish I had snapped pictures as I went from door to door, but first of all I thought it to be a bit rude, not to mention the memory stick in my camera likely would have filled up before I made it through the neighborhood.

I’m not going to go on and on with this blog post, but if you are giving any thought to a paver walkway, patio or driveway (or any hardscape installation for that matter), consider these few pointers:

Paver walkways are a system. They consist of an aggregate base, a bedding layer, the pavers, the edge restraint, and joint sand. Each and every component of the system needs to be installed correctly and to certain specification for the system to last. It requires special knowledge and special equipment to be performed correctly. A properly installed paver walkway should last for decades.

ANYONE can come to your yard and install a paver walkway, but not everyone can or will do it right. In NH, no licensing or training is required. As a consumer, you must do your homework and make sure you are hiring a reputable and competent contractor. There are far more contractors without the proper knowledge.
You will not save money by hiring the cheapest contractor. Period. Based on some of the prices that I see being offered, it is impossible to build a paver system that will last as it should. And when it comes time to rebuild it, it is not going to be cheaper because you already have the pavers. It is going to cost more, because now we have to pick those pavers up.

Insist on a minimum 5 year warranty and insist that your contractor provide you with complete specifications on how it will be built. Make sure you understand these specifications and make sure that they are correct.
If you want to know more about how these systems should be built, feel free to call me or email me. I’m always happy to talk hardscape and provide advice.

If you don’t follow these suggestions, well then….. watch YOUR step. It might be your front walkway you’re tripping over next spring.

The Natives are Getting Restless

2011-03-24T17:13:00.000-07:00

And with good reason! A strong argument could be made that in the residential landscape, not nearly enough of our prized native trees, shrubs and perennials are being used. Now, don’t get me wrong, many of my favorite plants aren’t necessarily native and many work well in the NH landscape. However, if you are interested in designing more towards the goal of sustainability and the ever popular “low maintenance” landscape (wish I had a nickel for every customer that asked for that), here’s a list of 10 plants native to New England that are sure to impress even the pickiest plant snob!

1. Amelanchier canadensis, Serviceberry or Shadblow

The Serviceberry is a deciduous plant, most typically purchased and installed as a multi-stem specimen. It can also be purchased as nursery stock as a single stem tree, but that seems to be far less common. The Serviceberry is a great four season plant with interest all year long. Early in the spring, small white flowers adorn the plant before it leafs out. Smooth, dark green foliage through the summer turns from red to gold in the fall, and once all the leaves have fallen, the plant can be admired for its attractive smooth grey bark in the winter. The lower branches are often pruned at the bottom to showcase the bark, and it is typically grown as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree. The serviceberry does well either strategically placed as a specimen plant or in a small grouping.

2. Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud

The Eastern Redbud is a beautiful tree which would make a great specimen in most any landscape. It is a small ornamental tree usually purchased as single stem tree form nursery stock. The Eastern Redbud is most widely recognized for its lavender-pink flowers in the spring. But that’s not where the ornamental features of the Redbud end.

The tree possesses a superb vase-like shape to the crown which becomes slightly more rounded with age. It also has an uncommon cordate or heart shaped leaf which is an interesting change from the somewhat ordinary and expected leaf shapes of the maple, oak or birch. An interesting hybrid choice would be the ‘Forest Pansy’ which has rose-purple foliage.

3. Cornus alternifolia, Pagoda Dogwood

The Pagoda Dogwood is used as a small ornamental tree, reaching a mature height of around 25’. The Pagoda Dogwood’s Latin named is said to derive from either its alternate leaf pattern or it’s horizontally tiered branching habit. Either explanation makes sense, especially since most other Dogwood species have an opposite leaf pattern. The Pagoda Dogwood differs from the more common Kousa or Florida Dogwood in that it has flat clusters of small white flowers rather than the bract style flowers, and therefore is sometimes considered a little less showy. Another ornamental feature of the tree is the bluish-black fruit clusters that ripen in late summer, also providing an excellent food source for birds. The horizontal branching pattern is also worthy of note, with wide spreading shelving branches that come off the main truck almost horizontally.

The Pagoda Dogwood will tolerate some degree of moisture to its soil and is also a decent choice for an ornamental tree in a partial shade environment.

4. Acer saccharum, Sugar Maple

The Sugar Maple is such a stately tree with a rich history in NH. Because the tree is so common, I was tempted to leave it off the list. But because of its most valuable ornamental feature, which of course is its striking fall color, I just couldn’t. You may not know that we’re a little lucky here in NH. Many of the warmer climates see the leaves change to a golden yellow and don’t enjoy the dazzling orange and red tones that we take for granted. The Sugar Maple is most commonly known for its sap that is harvested late each winter and boiled down to make maple syrup. Can’t quite explain why, but it seems to me that NH Sugar Maples produce sap superior to that of any other state! A very disease and pest free tree, the Sugar Maple is a good choice as a shade tree, as long as the tree is not subjected to pollution and the root system is not restricted.

5. Clethra alnifolia, Summersweet

Summersweet is an upright deciduous shrub, reaching 5’-8’ in height. It is multi-stemmed with a suckering habit good for colonizing, screening, and mass planting. However, I often choose to install Summersweet close to the home in the residential landscape, and here’s why: Fragrance. One of the most undervalued properties in the landscape. When you add great fragrance to the beauty of the plants in the garden, it’s almost as though you’ve introduced that secret ingredient that makes the dish perfect.

Not only is Summersweet wonderfully fragrant, but it is so when it’s bottlebrush flowers appear in late summer. Why is that relevant? Because so many flowering plants do so in spring, it can sometimes be challenging to balance the landscape with flowers throughout the season. Summersweet is a great addition to provide that late summer color and fragrance when the lilacs, magnolias, viburnums and others have passed. I recommend planting the Summersweet in groups of at least three in an area where the fragrance can be appreciated. While the native Summersweet has white flowers, there are cultivars such as ‘Ruby Spice’ that provide pink flowers. ‘Hummingbird’ is also a great choice when you need a plant that is slightly more compact. Although the hummingbird cultivar name is derived from the name of the pond at which it was planted at Callaway Gardens in Georgia, it will most definitely attract those interesting and exciting super-sonic wing-flapping friends of the same name to your garden.

6. Vaccinium corymbosum, Highbush Blueberry

Well, so far we’ve already named a few plant species that produce fruit, but not until this selection has there been anything tasty enough to pick! Generally, the Highbush Blueberry will do well in NH, as it is most happy in an acidic, sandy soil. Ornamentally, the Highbush Blueberry will produce a large quantity of white to pinkish flowers in May just before the leaves completely unfold. While the summer foliage may be somewhat mundane, yellow, orange and red toned leaf color in the fall can be borderline stunning.

Of course, the berries are generally the most prized asset of the plant, and it doesn’t take more than 3-5 plants in the landscape to provide a sufficient amount of fruit for a few pies, some jam, and a handful to pop in your mouth every now and again. If the fruit is of value to you, it may be necessary to fend off the birds with some protective screening during the fruiting period, as they enjoy the berries just as much as we do. Also, it’s best to plant more than one cultivar to improve pollination. As a final note, the Highbush Blueberry is a very popular plant with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. So if you’re trying to push along a landscape project through the state permitting process (shoreland), toss a few into the plan for vegetation and erosion control purposes and rack up a few brownie points!

7. Abies balsamea, Balsam Fir

This is one of my favorite evergreen trees. Most notably famous for its use as a

Christmas tree, the Balsam fir is not only native to NH, but it is one of those that is fairly easy to find in the woods and forests of NH. As a matter of fact, I have several groves of native, immature trees throughout my property. I find the Balsam Fir particularly attractive as a Christmas tree simply because the needles are so soft as compared to a spruce selection. Spruce tends to take the joy out of hanging ornaments when you’re getting pricked every 5 seconds. The Balsam fir is a good selection for a screen or as a single specimen. Just be sure you’ve given it plenty of room to grow, as it can approach 70’ in height and 25’ in width. I also enjoy the deep, rich dark green color associated with the Balsam. A personal story confirms the Balsam Fir’s popularity as a Christmas tree: Over the course of two years, I had a total of three Balsam Firs measuring 8’-10’ in height criminally harvested in late November from the privacy screen along the roadside of a prior home. Needless to say, the discovery of such a violation was disheartening, discouraging, upsetting and most of all made me madder than hell. No doubt in my mind after the first occurrence, had I ever caught the perpetrators in action I would have ran them over and asked questions later.

8. Tsuga canadensis, Canadian Hemlock

The Canadian Hemlock is another great native NH evergreen which is as prevalent as any in the state with the exception of the Eastern White Pine. I personally prefer the hemlock as I believe its form to be superior in grace, form and beauty. It has a natural pendulous or “weeping” and pyramidal form that it maintains from youth through maturity. In my opinion, the Canadian Hemlock is best used as a specimen, in a grouping, or screening where it can be allowed to grow true to its form. In this state, it requires little pruning. However, it also makes a good evergreen hedge. I would caution however, to prune by carefully removing individual branches rather than shearing. It will provide a much more natural look and allow light to penetrate the plant. Worthy of note is the pest woolly adelgid that has lessened the use of hemlocks recently. There are however systemic treatments available to keep the pest under control and enjoy the use of this native plant in the landscape.

9. Kalmia latifolia, Mountain Laurel

The Mountain Laurel is a broadleaf evergreen shrub, meaning it holds onto its leaves all year long. It is often confused with the related and more popular rhododendron. Although I have never seen a native Mountain Laurel in NH, there are said to be stands and groves of the plant in southern portions of the state. The plant is most prominent in the Carolinas, Virginia, and southern Appalachians. The Mountain Laurel is well formed and dense as a young plant, often becoming more open and gangly with age.

However, this openness allows the interesting form of the trunks and limbs to be displayed. Hands down, the most prized ornamental feature of the plant is its large late spring flowers. A white range of flower color is available through several available cultivars. The plant generally performs best in partial shade, and when planted will benefit with soil amendments of pine bark or peat.

10.Athyrium, Dennstaedtia, Dryopteris: Lady Fern, Hay-Scented Fern, Wood Fern

I can’t help but be somewhat amused when someone requests a “natural” garden, followed by a request for Hosta. Of course Hosta, are native to Northeast Asia and therefore it’s pretty debatable if they indeed fit into a natural setting in NH. Somehow though, (most likely because of their wonderful foliage) they’ve become so overwhelmingly popular it seems as they are a staple for not only the shade garden, but the “natural” landscape well. Don’t get me wrong, I love Hosta as much as the next gardener. However, to me a severely underused shade plant in the NH landscape is the fern. There are many different species of the fern native to NH, all of which do well in a shaded environment and some even able to deal with partial sun. The fern of course is a fairly understated plant, without flowers. That in itself is likely why it doesn’t receive the accolades it deserves. The fern is probably best used in woodland edges, shade gardens, wet areas, or as a groundcover. Dennstaedtia punctiloba (hay-scented fern) is a great selection when massing and groundcover is long term goal of the plant. When properly located the fern can be a very attractive addition to a well designed garden.

So, if you’re looking for a ‘low-maintenance’ or sustainable landscape, it behooves you to consider native plants. The selections listed above and many others will generally perform better than non-natives and have lesser fertilization, irrigation and pest control requirements. Not only that, you’ll be able to bring the beauty of our natural landscape into your yard and encourage habitat for feathered and furry friends.

As much as I love the 10 plants on this list, there are several more plants deserving of this list. I'm sure you have some favorites too -- I encourage you to share them with me, whether they are native or not. eel free to post a comment as I always enjoy talking plants!

Moving on to Spring, Who's with me?

2011-03-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

Will this winter go down as the winter that never ended? Each time we're teased with a blast of 'warmth' (let's face it, even 50 feels pretty warm after a winter of sub-zero temps) winter seems to whack us in the back of the head with a good old open hand slap. After much anticipation of Spring's first day, we are once again rudely reminded of how we have absolutely no control over the weather. Right now, I'm trying to figure out if I should go out to plow tonight, wait until morning, or just say to heck with it -- everyone has been driving in this crap all winter, a few inches that will melt tomorrow isn't anything hardy New Englanders can't handle.

Well, I for one am not going to let it get me down. There is just too much to be excited about. The Seacoast Home and Garden show is this weekend at the UNH Whittemore Center. I urge you to come by and visit with us and talk plants, stone, landscape and garden design. Bring to us your specific problems and we'll give the best free advice you've ever had. If you act quick enough we'll even pick up the cover charge with a free ticket. Hurry though, those aren't going to last long. If you can't make the UNH Show, we'll be at the Dover Ice Arena the following weekend with the same level of excitement!

What else? Well I know some of you are "with me" as we move towards Spring, because the phone is ringing with folks interested in stonework, plants and landscaping. I have a feeling that a lot of people are ready to move forward with the projects they've been putting off for quite a while now. It just sorta feels like people have been sitting on their hands, waiting for the economy to turn around, and want someone to tell them that it's 'ok' to spend a little money on something you want. We'll, I'm here to tell you it's OK! Seriously though, I feel the same way myself and we've put off some new purchases as well (trucks, bobcat, etc etc) just because we want to be careful. Hopefully we can all do our part here soon to help turn the economy around and help keep our neighbors employed. Remember, when you do purchase, purchase locally and buy USA!

If I have you intrigued about landscaping and outdoor home improvement, we do have some exciting and genuine cost saving opportunities this spring on plant material (larger trees mostly) and concrete paving stones. Honestly, serious money to be saved if you are thinking about a project. Contact me if you want to know more.

So think spring, and come see us this weekend on the home show circuit!

Mark

Starting to feel like spring? Ah, maybe not.

2011-02-20T06:29:00.000-08:00

With a few recent February days in the upper 50's we all got a little taste of spring. The warm sun felt absolutely wonderful on my face, today though was a harsh reminder that we have at least one more round of winter. As I sit in front of the fire and author my very first blog post, it's 14 degrees outside with a whipping Northwest wind. Yikes! Mother Nature could have at least ratcheted us back into reality a little slower, but we all know she doesn't quite work that way does she???

Ok, ok, so I've accepted that this winter isn't quite behind us just yet. Frankly, it's in our best interest for there to be at least a few more plowable snow events this year as the revenue is certainly needed for us get off on the right foot come spring. Not to mention it's probably going to be a tough spring on the landscapers as there is a lot of snow to melt, plus it took a while for the snow to get here, so we're looking at a deep frost that needs to come out of the ground too. Let's all hope it's not a rainy spring on top of it all.

So before we jump right into the landscape season, we of course have a few home shows that we always display at. First, there is the Seacoast Home Garden Flower Show the last weekend of March each year at the Whittemore Center at UNH. The timing of this show always seems to correlate quite well with the general public’s excitement for spring and it gives us an opportunity to display our services, portfolio of projects, and a booth full of blooming plants, stonework, and even custom carpentry to these prospective customers. After the long winter hiatus from landscaping I always enjoy the interaction with the show attendees and sharing my knowledge and love for plants and stone. There’s also a small home show at the Dover Ice Arena in April which gives us the ability to put ourselves directly in front of an interested group of folks that live within one of our major service areas. There isn’t quite as much flexibility with set-up time and space so our display is a bit more subdued, but the point certainly still gets across.

This season, we’ll actually be kicking off our show season a week early as we assist the New Hampshire Landscape Association with a display at the Home & Better Living Show of New Hampshire in Milford, NH on March 19 & 20. The display will be constructed with the efforts of several members and it will also be members that will be manning the booth for the weekend. Further, most if not all of the materials displayed within the booth will be donated by members. NHLA’s presence at this show is a bit different from a single landscaper’s typical attendance at a home show. That is, when you get down to the guts of it, we for the most part are at a home show to generate sales. NHLA will be at this show for education – to show those interested in investing into their landscape how it can be done most efficiently and effectively, and what the benefits are of hiring an educated company.

So while spring may not be upon just yet, its spirit is certainly in the air around here, even if that air is well below the freezing point! We look forward to seeing you on the show circuit!

If you'd like to contact me in the meantime, shoot me an email to the address below, or check out our Facebook fan page, just search for Green Monster Landscapes!

Mark
Green Monster Landscapes
www.gmlandscapes.com
mark@gmlandscapes.com