Sometimes the projects our landscape crewworks on are complete renovations of a property. Other times, the project is a more simple approach.
This is an example of a recent project we completed. The planting beds had not been maintained or updated in a few years and required a redesign of the look.
The bed had 4 trellises installed previously. The trellises were in good shape and Eric wanted to make sure they could be used with the updates. He choose President Clematis, which will bloom purple, and Henryi Clematis, which will bloom white, to grow on the trellis. In front of the clematis are daylilies. There were also some healthy existing perennials and shrubs that were left in the beds. The entire bed was top-dressed with mulch.
This bed is in a high traffic area, as the plants grow it should be a beautiful & eye-catching view for the property visitors and people passing by. Here is the final project!
Landscape improvements make a big visual difference
What a difference mulch can make for existing plants
We saw a heavy concentration of Japanese Beetles last summer. This is the adult form of a grub and as an adult the pest will feed on the leaves of plants. As a grub, the pest will feed on the roots of grass.
Life cycle of white grubs
Adults emerge from the soil in June or early July. They will feed, mate, and lay eggs. The beetle will be seen on leaves of plants and trees for about 6 to 8 weeks. According to the University of MN extension agency, a beetle will live for about 60 days and can lay a total of 60 eggs.
Grubs ill feed on the roots of grass which will kill the grass (leaving it brown).
Insecticide treatment should be applied while the grubs are feeding, which is during the month of May to mid-June. After inspecting the grass for signs of grubs, if treatment is indicated, Barrett Lawn Care will use a granular treatment that is spread over the soil. Watering the grass after treatment greatly improves the effectiveness of the product.
Experts are expecting this summer could be an active year again for these pests. There are “do it yourself” treatments or a qualified service, such as Barrett Lawn Care, which can professionally diagnose and treat the pest.
This is a KARE 11 “Grow with Kare” video with more information about the Japanese Beetles.
Spring means fields of yellow blooming dandelions for some yards. Dandelions are a perennial plant and will return each year if the root is not treated with chemicals. It is estimated that one dandelion makes up to 1,500 seeds, which can germinate to make more dandelions for the next growing season!
The best way to control dandelions (and other weeds such as creeping charlie) is with a post-emergent broadleaf weed control product. The product we apply to control weeds is used in the spring and the fall when the weeds are blooming. The chemical is taken into the leaf and kills the current weed but also works on the root for further growth. We have seen great results with these applications.
It is dandelion season, yards that have not been treated with a broadleaf weed control may be covered with weeds!
When a company applies fertilizer or broadleaf chemicals, the company is required by the MN Department of Agriculture to hold a pesticide applicator license. The company should also post a sign by the entrance of the property with certain information.
Fertilizer and pesticide signs indicating we have been on-site
Most business advertising takes a fairly hands-off approach. Barrett Lawn Care has found an advertising venue which is much more hands-on and fun!
#32 is sponsored by Barrett Lawn Care, Inc.
This is the 4th racing season Barrett Lawn Care has been a sponsor of Wolff Motorsports. The Wolff Motorsports car, fondly known as #32, primarily races at Raceway Park in Shakopee in the hobby stock division. Our logo is displayed over the back tire and the announcer shares our names as the car races past the stands. We have so much fun cheering on “our car” on Sunday evenings. Last summer the car also made a guest appearance at our company party.
The first race of the 2012 season is May 6th at Raceway Parkc
Jeremy Wolff and crew have raced since 1989. Last season they won 4 feature races and held track championship title in 2008.
The first race of the 2012 season is May 6th at Raceway Park. We will be in the stands to cheer on #32 (click for raceway’s scehdule)
hard·scape noun (härd ‘skãp ): The part of a building’s grounds consisting of structures, such as patios, retaining walls, and walkways, made with hard materials.
What do we know about hardscapes? They’re expensive? They’re difficult to install? Both of these thoughts can be correct at times, however if you approach a hardscape properly it can be a pain-free experience. Adding hardscape(s) to your outdoor space is one of the most important things you can do to change the aesthetics and functionality of your area. Also, if done correctly, you may have a great return on the investment which is always an added bonus.
Unless you’re quite handy in a variety of trades it may be a good idea to consult a professional to assist with all phases of adding or replacing a hardscape in your outdoor space. The next step would be to decide what you want to install and where.
Materials: Choosing the appropriate material can be an overwhelming task. There are many different brands of hardscape materials and each brand has many different products within them. There are a lot of good quality manufacturers out there and unfortunately many lesser quality manufacturers. I won’t voice my opinions on any brands, as to not cloud your judgment.
It’s not always easy to “throw cost out the window”, but often times with these situations you really do get what you pay for. Some of these material options can be fairly expensive and some are quite inexpensive. This differentiation is mainly to do the manufacturing process, the tolerances, and quality standards that it entails. The cheaper materials have looser manufacturing standards and thus less dimensional consistency. Of course this then means that the more expensive materials have much tighter manufacturing tolerances, thus much greater dimensional consistency.
It might not seem like dimensional consistency is all that important. After all it is just a bunch of pieces of concrete or stone, right? Let’s take a deeper look. How many of these pieces must work together to complete the structure? Consider a patio, driveway, retaining wall, etc. There could be hundreds, or thousands or more pieces working in conjunction with each other to complete said structure. So now that we know that, things start to make more sense. The looser the consistency the more gaps there can be in the finished structure. The more gaps you allow in your finished project the less structural integrity you will have, and vice-versa. Aside from the structural aspect of all of this you will also have looser lines in your project. This too may seem irrelevant, but the straighter the lines, the better the flow, the better the end result.
A few samples of hardscape projects installed by Barrett Lawn Care:
~ Suggestion by Derek Tweten, Landscape Foreman at Barrett Lawn Care. Derek has years of experience installing many different types of hardscape materials. For more information, Derek can be reached at 612-866-7522 or info@BarrettLawnCare.com
The first important question is ‘what is de-thatching?’ De-thatching is mechanically removing the thatch.
The second question is ‘what is thatch?’Yard thatch is the brown fibrous materials, which will build up between the soil and the grass roots. The thatch develops as a regular sloughing off of the plant during its growth cycle and during mowing practices.
Thatch is removed to allow proper amounts of water & nutrients to get to the root zone of the turf. This is typically removed as part of the yard spring clean-up. Often times people will call this service power raking. Our commercial mowers have a rake (or de-thatching device) for this service.
The best time to de-thatch is as the yard begins to green-up in the spring. Watering the grass shortly after removing the thatch is also very important.
This short you-tube video demonstrates de-thatching including equipment and offers a few additional tips. Please click on this link: Dethatching Your Lawn
It’s that time of year again. The snow is gone, the frost is out, and we’re ready to start thinking about things turning green. This means it’s time for a thorough spring clean-up of all planted areas in your outdoor space. This can be an grueling task, but I assure you it is a necessary step to a healthy yard.
The goal of a good spring clean up is to remove all dead foliage and litter that accumulated over the winter. You will need to rake/blow all bed surfaces to remove this debris.
In addition to cleaning up the bed surfaces, all of your leafy, and grass, perennial plantings will need some attention. This will literally include all plantings that do not have wood stems. You will need to cut off all of the dead foliage at the base of each plant. The easiest ways to accomplish would be either a power hedger or hedging shears. Removing this foliage is necessary to give the plant a fresh start for the new season, and it will also greatly enhance each plant’s potential for the season to come.
Happy gardening!
~ By Derek Tweten, Landscape Foreman at Barrett Lawn Care. Derek is a very knowledgeable part of our team with expertise in many areas of landscaping, which includes spring clean-ups. For more information, Derek can be reached at 612-866-7522 or info@BarrettLawnCare.com
It is unfortunate in our industry that a person can buy a shovel an call themself a “landscaper” or a mower and they are suddenly a “lawn care company”. Barrett Lawn Care is always trying hard to set the standard much higher than this within the industry!
When a homeowner begins a landscape project, they are making a major investment into the curb appeal of their home. Usually landscaping choices will last for many years. It is very important to use a reputable company.
Some things to think about or ask when you deciding which vendor to hire:
Does the company hold the appropriate licenses the State of Minnesota requires?
Does the company have a guarantee for products, service & workmanship?
Does the company have the appropriate insurances including worker compensation coverage?
Can the company provide references? And photos of past projects?
Is the company a member of the Minnesota Landscape Association, which helps to set the horticulture standards?
Is the company established and will they be there in coming seasons?
Does the company use products from a reputable source?
Does the company work with a designer with horticulture training and skilled installers?
Barrett Lawn Care can answer “YES” to all of these questions.
Once our customer moved into their “new” house, it was very obvious to them that the existing landscaping needed to be updated. They did not like the formal look of the current landscaping or the variety of shrubs that had been installed by the previous owners.
" Before " ~ Summer 2011
Through the design process we were able to make suggestions that would better appeal to their taste. They wanted a more open feel of their landscaping along with perennials to give color and out-croppings to accent their home.
This winter has been abnormal! We have had less snow than average and the warmer temperatures have melted the snow quickly.
In a typical winter, snow acts as insulation for grass and perennials. It is important to insulate plants so they do not suffer from ‘winter burn’. Mulch or hay will also act as an insulator. Without this insulator it is likely the plants may suffer.
In terms of the lawn, it is a wait and see game. University of MN research is showing the grass should come back like a normal year. If the lawn does not come back right away, putting down seed and fertilizer in the spring may offer great assistance.
~ Lawn advice suggested by Mike Fritsche, lawn care manager at Barrett Lawn Care. Mike has extensive skills and education in the area of turf management. For more information, Mike can be reached at 612-866-7522 or info@BarrettLawnCare.com
