Central & Eastern Massachusetts Landscape Message

I was on the ski lift this morning enjoying one of the last days of riding for the season and got into a conversation about crabgrass control.  The question posed to me was what do I do to get rid of my crabgrass. 
The question you need to ask yourself is are you dedicated to organics, traditional or what I believe is the best approach- IPM (Integrated Pest Management).  With IPM responsible lawn care companies use the chemicals that are available only when needed to maintain a healthy ecosystem in the turf.  That is the best way to keep crabgrass out of your lawn- having a healthy and alive turf system.

But I digress, the question that was really posed was how do I rid my unhealthy lawn of crabgrass.  After learning that the lawn in question was situated on well drained gravel with a serious deficiency on healthy soil depths. I advised

1. Apply a crabgrass control (dimension) in mid-late May

1a. Unless you have vast patches of dirt showing do not seed at this point in the year (if you can’t resist you must use a crabgrass specific control, which is not as effective as the non specific control)

2. continue on a healthy fertilization program (chemical or organic)

3. re-apply crabgrass control in  late June- early July.

4. Continue with your typical fertilization program and mow the remaining turf at least 3.5″ high. 

5. In late August aerate the entire lawn, then top dress with composted soil, overseed

6. allow new seedlings to be mowed 2-3 times then apply next round of fertilizer.

7.  Wait until late November and apply the last round of fertilizer (light on the nitrogen) this round will go directly to the root system and set your turf up nicely for spring.

A couple things to note- There are many different scenarios that affect a healthy lawn, this is a general guideline on how to effectively make your turf healthy enough to withstand the crabgrass in the future.  Also, in this scenario there would be crabgrass, there would just be less allowing the turf system to gain strength.  And having a nice lawn is typically a process played out over time.  It is impossible to have a beautiful, healthy lawn without a concerted effort.

As always we are equiped to design, build, maintain and care for your landscape.

Become a fan of Princeton Scapes Inc on facebook! There are more great pictures there!

March is here and there are many signs of spring all around us especially in the eastern part of Massachusetts.  Snow drops have started to pop and crocus will soon peak their colors.  I drove by a maple shack last night and they were boiling down the sap!

There are some other signs that affect our landscapes that we need to be aware of.  Snow Mold is a fungus that grows this time of year typically in soaking wet areas of your lawns. Typically it is worse under heavy snow areas, but not always.  It consists of circular patches of dead/ matted looking grass.  If  left alone it will kill or severely stunt the patch of turf.  The easiest thing to do is give it a good hard rake as if thatching your lawn.  A healthy lawn that has had an adequate lawn care program is just as susceptible as an unhealthy lawn.  Give us a call if you are in the Concord, Wayland, Dover or Holden, Paxton, and we can schedule a visit to assess your lawn and give you the information to correct any issues you may have with your lawn.

As we get closer to the month of March and Spring it is important to keep an eye on our landscape plantings. March is famous for it’s winds which can dry plants leaves. March can also be as cold as the middle of winter. Add to that a strengthening sun and there is a recipe for serious scorch to your ornamental plants. Evergreens, especially broad-leaf evergreens, are particularly at risk.
The levels of damage to your plants can vary from one side of town to the next, but also from one side of your yard to the other. There are many things you can do to help your plants through these times.
- Wrapping the plants is a great way to protect them. However winter interest/ beauty should be a big part of your landscape. Most of us spend our free winter time at home looking out at our yard and dreaming of spring. It is much more pleasant to see an interesting and pretty plant sticking through the snow than burlap wrap. Another more aesthetically pretty way to wrap your plants is with evergreen bows. The bows do a great job of protection as well.
- A less visually obtrusive process in protecting our plants is to spray the plants with anti-desiccant. Anti-desiccant sprays cover the leaves/ needles with a thin coat wax, thus not allowing the plants to aspire so much moisture. This leaves the plants in their natural state, allowing us to enjoy the full benefit or their beauty. As with most things in the landscape (natural world) the process is not perfect. Applying the anti-desiccant will need to be repeated (at least) monthly in order for it to be effective. And with that said, it is still not quite as effective as wrapping the plants.
We spend much time focusing on our landcape in the warmer months. It is intelligent to think of them in the winter as well. Even if you leave your home for warmer weather, the benefit from protecting your plants from the winters harsh winds and drying effects will pay divedends in the spring when your plants will stand a better chance of starting the season lush and green and many unprotected plants will be wilted, brown and in distress.
Princeton Scapes has a full service landscape maintenance department that works in conjunction with our clients to make sure that they maximize their value while enjoying their properties.
Winter is beautiful, Spring is close and we are ready to get to work caring for your landscapes!

As a landscaper, winter is an interesting time.  I can’t speak for all landscapers, but for me it is a time of reflection.  I like to think back to the “GREEN” seasons where our company is busily creating, maintaining and caring for peoples landscapes.  When I first started Princeton Scapes in 1992, I would have to actually find my camera, bring the film to get developed then neatly arrange any pictures of our work that may have looked good.  Today I can just go on our Web site www.princetonscapes.com and look at pictures from this past year. 

It is fun to look back at one of our waterfall projects.  If that doesn’t make one ready for summer I’m not sure what will!  So if you have a minute, take a look at some of our projects.  I love the whimsy of the Dover, Mass project, the stately appearence of the historical home in Andover, Mass or the unique setting for the pool at the Wayland Mass home. 

If you see anythinig there that catches your fancy, give us a call!  We pride ourselves on providing peace of mind while creating and caring for your landscape!

Welcome to Princeton Scapes’ new BLOG!!  What will become extremely apparent is that we are landscapers and not professional bloggers!!  However we will have topical posts regarding landscape, horticulture, masonry and the like.  Hopefully our love of landscaping will show through and we can all learn something.

I would like to acknowledge my friend John Getchell who would have been 49 today… Happy Birthday John and Ben!  Power Positive, it’s how we should all live!