Like most industry professionals, I have been contemplating how we are going to adjust to the pressures of today's fuel prices. The cost of everything is rising. From the pump to the grocery checkout aisle, everyone is paying the price. Historically, times of crisis and challenge give birth to opportunity and innovation. The way we approach everyday things like landscaping and gardening will gradually change too. I have long felt that the sprawling "Suburban Lawn" concept of the 50's and 60's is an outdated notion. Now before I get arouse the ire of the John Deere Nation, let me explain… There are two things to consider here; Time and resources. Our lives are much more complex today than in the Ozzie and Harriet days of old. The pace is faster, and often times the candle burns at both ends and the middle. Considering your lifestyle, how much time are you willing to spend maintaining your landscape? What is the intended use of your turf area? (Recreation, pets, etc.). Larger lawns require more time, equipment, water and fuel. A solution would be to downsize the lawn area. Create a circular or oval lawn that serves as a lush, green center piece for your landscape and adds further interest with the surrounding planting beds. This is also a great time to address any cosmetic enhancements to your home. Take a look at the sight lines from inside your home. Things like window to window exposure, unsightly storage areas and lighting can all be masked by the proper placement of planting beds and trees. Next, examine the exterior view of your home. Again, the proper placement of trees and planting beds can enhance the architectural features or soften the less desirable views. Once you have an idea of where to plant, now we can begin to consider what to plant. The next question I would pose is… Irrigation or Xericape? With over 32 million acres, our beloved lawns are the largest irrigated crop in the United States. Over one third of residential water usage is consumed in the effort to maintain them. Xeriscape – which is a word derived from the combination of the Greek word xeros which means dry, and landscaping, Wikipedia defines Xeriscaping as "Landscaping in ways that do not require supplemental irrigation". This practice is gaining popularity in the southern regions and in the arid west, and its principals are beneficial right here in the upper Mid-west. Selecting drought tolerant trees, shrubs and perennials from a rather long list, combined with mass plantings of ground covers and adequate coverage of mulch will provide you relief with your water bill. And a final thought… Throw away your bird feeder and go Native! There is a wonderful variety of native shrubs and perennials that attract songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies. Providing a beautiful spring blooms, summer berries and Vibrant fall color. With proper planning and a bit of imagination, this is a case where less turns out to be much, much more.
James "Motor" Merritt
Partner and Creative Director of Living Color Landscapes
715-849-9600 – www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
THE SWITCH IS ON – ORGANICS IN THE HOME AND GARDEN
My inspiration this week comes from a half-eaten Newman’s Organic Dark Chocolate bar. (I don’t think that my wife reads this so I feel somewhat comfortable confessing my dietary sins). Anyway, I began to take inventory of the many ways that organic products have found their way into our home. Everything from the foods we eat, to laundry and cleaning products, to skin care; Americans are waking up to the simple fact that less chemical exposure is better for us!
This “new” attitude, (not - for us aging Hippies) is now making its way outdoors into our lawns and gardens. Not only are we giving our kids and pets a less toxic lawn to play on, but the storm water run-off carries less chemicals into our recreational waters, and yes, municipal and ground water too. Then there are the beneficial insects; ladybugs, fireflies spiders, praying mantis, and wasps that combat the destructive insects that devour our plants. It seems that it would be better if we weren’t poisoning these ‘little buggahs’. Recently there is news on the un-explained disappearance of whole colonies of bees. Although many theories are circulating, we shouldn’t rule out environmental pressure and the effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. And finally, we eliminate the exposure to ourselves from mixing, broadcasting and spraying of chemicals. That means less dust in our lungs and toxins through our skin. Now, I am not advocating the elimination of one of the American Male’s great spring rituals, as we all have a bit of “The Tool Man” in us. I am simply suggesting that we consider a better approach.
Too often we are treating symptoms that could be prevented by better preparation. Compacted, dry, or inorganic soils give off signals that we often misinterpret. Our typical response is to run down to the home improvement mart and begin throwing chemicals on the problem. Very often, non-chemical solutions such as de-thatching, core aeration, and simply starting with adequate organic based soils (4 to 8” for a healthy lawn) will correct the situation and produce a lush green turf and abundant blooms.
Last week I was speaking with Jeff Nowak; Living Color’s Landscape Management Director. He told me that he made the switch to organics early this year and his clients are seeing dramatic results in just a few short weeks. Nowak said; “You have to see it to believe it. We are getting six weeks of growth from our annual plantings in only two weeks”. “We are now using non-salt and low-salt based fertilizers and the results are significant. At this point, my curiosity began to peak. What is it? And where can I get it?
“We are using Green Guard Plant Starter Plus for shrubs, ornamentals and vegetable gardens and Green Guard 17 – 9 – 7 Low Salt Turf Builder for lawns. These are available, easy to use and virtually fool proof. This is truly a win – win solution with outstanding results. Seems like a great idea to me!
James Merritt / Landscape Designer
www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
This “new” attitude, (not - for us aging Hippies) is now making its way outdoors into our lawns and gardens. Not only are we giving our kids and pets a less toxic lawn to play on, but the storm water run-off carries less chemicals into our recreational waters, and yes, municipal and ground water too. Then there are the beneficial insects; ladybugs, fireflies spiders, praying mantis, and wasps that combat the destructive insects that devour our plants. It seems that it would be better if we weren’t poisoning these ‘little buggahs’. Recently there is news on the un-explained disappearance of whole colonies of bees. Although many theories are circulating, we shouldn’t rule out environmental pressure and the effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. And finally, we eliminate the exposure to ourselves from mixing, broadcasting and spraying of chemicals. That means less dust in our lungs and toxins through our skin. Now, I am not advocating the elimination of one of the American Male’s great spring rituals, as we all have a bit of “The Tool Man” in us. I am simply suggesting that we consider a better approach.
Too often we are treating symptoms that could be prevented by better preparation. Compacted, dry, or inorganic soils give off signals that we often misinterpret. Our typical response is to run down to the home improvement mart and begin throwing chemicals on the problem. Very often, non-chemical solutions such as de-thatching, core aeration, and simply starting with adequate organic based soils (4 to 8” for a healthy lawn) will correct the situation and produce a lush green turf and abundant blooms.
Last week I was speaking with Jeff Nowak; Living Color’s Landscape Management Director. He told me that he made the switch to organics early this year and his clients are seeing dramatic results in just a few short weeks. Nowak said; “You have to see it to believe it. We are getting six weeks of growth from our annual plantings in only two weeks”. “We are now using non-salt and low-salt based fertilizers and the results are significant. At this point, my curiosity began to peak. What is it? And where can I get it?
“We are using Green Guard Plant Starter Plus for shrubs, ornamentals and vegetable gardens and Green Guard 17 – 9 – 7 Low Salt Turf Builder for lawns. These are available, easy to use and virtually fool proof. This is truly a win – win solution with outstanding results. Seems like a great idea to me!
James Merritt / Landscape Designer
www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
"A Safe Alternative"
Last week I received an email from an old friend who had read my article on spring clean ups. I ended the piece recommending the application of a pre-emergent herbicide, a common practice of professional landscapers and something that I have become comfortable with in commercial landscape applications. This is just the way it’s done, or is it? As my friend Matt Powers, owner of Easton Landscaping so eloquently pointed out; “As landscape professionals I feel we have an ability to influence customers in a number of ways including environmentally responsible approaches to pest management”. This is something that we have been doing at our company, using organic, low salt fertilizers, and avoiding the application of phosphorous around watershed, but I should have offered a safe alternative to chemicals, and I am grateful to Matt for bring this to my attention. Matt went on to say; “We all need to understand that what we put on the ground in our own yard does not stay there, it travels great distances in air and water. When we apply chemicals to our yards we all need to understand that there are consequences…” Consequences like the “Dead Zone” in the Gulf of Mexico, an oxygen depleted area of water equivalent to the total volume of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes.
With this on my mind, I took a stroll down the isle of a large home and garden retailer Sunday afternoon and found myself in the garden chemical isle. I was amazed by the number of products and began reading the labels, and warnings. …Pretty serious stuff about eyes, and children and pets, and then it hit me… We are caught up in an almost ritualistic habit of dumping chemicals on our lawns and gardens in a quest for the perfect patch of green, all without thinking of the effects downstream. Synthetic pre-emergents like Preen,TR-10, Treflan and a host of others, have been proven to be deadly to fish and in higher concentrations to earthworms.” Powers continued, “What ever happened to pulling the weeds?”
OK, here is the good news! There is a safe alternative to chemicals – Corn Gluten meal. Available in several forms, one from Preen under the name “Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer”. It is Organic and safe to use. However, DO NOT Confuse it with”Preen Garden Weed Preventer “which has a warning for children on the front of the container. Although this Organic product is readily available in smaller packaging on store shelves, the price per pound is significantly less if purchased from one of the local coops or feed stores. Corn Gluten is available in 50 lb bags priced around twenty dollars … A much better deal. Applying Corn Gluten is safe and easy. Spread an even layer (not too thick) over the area to be treated. This will reduce your weed germination by as much as 80% while adding nitrogen to your soil. This is a win- win scenario for a healthier environment.
For a links to more information on Corn Gluten and the Gulf of Mexico Dead zone, visit our website – www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
James Merritt - Partner and Creative DirectorLiving Color Landscapes
www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
With this on my mind, I took a stroll down the isle of a large home and garden retailer Sunday afternoon and found myself in the garden chemical isle. I was amazed by the number of products and began reading the labels, and warnings. …Pretty serious stuff about eyes, and children and pets, and then it hit me… We are caught up in an almost ritualistic habit of dumping chemicals on our lawns and gardens in a quest for the perfect patch of green, all without thinking of the effects downstream. Synthetic pre-emergents like Preen,TR-10, Treflan and a host of others, have been proven to be deadly to fish and in higher concentrations to earthworms.” Powers continued, “What ever happened to pulling the weeds?”
OK, here is the good news! There is a safe alternative to chemicals – Corn Gluten meal. Available in several forms, one from Preen under the name “Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer”. It is Organic and safe to use. However, DO NOT Confuse it with”Preen Garden Weed Preventer “which has a warning for children on the front of the container. Although this Organic product is readily available in smaller packaging on store shelves, the price per pound is significantly less if purchased from one of the local coops or feed stores. Corn Gluten is available in 50 lb bags priced around twenty dollars … A much better deal. Applying Corn Gluten is safe and easy. Spread an even layer (not too thick) over the area to be treated. This will reduce your weed germination by as much as 80% while adding nitrogen to your soil. This is a win- win scenario for a healthier environment.
For a links to more information on Corn Gluten and the Gulf of Mexico Dead zone, visit our website – www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
James Merritt - Partner and Creative DirectorLiving Color Landscapes
www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
Monday, June 16, 2008
Spring Cleaning in the Great Outdoors
Spring Cleaning in the Great Outdoors
The weather this past weekend made me stop and question if it was really the end of April and not late October. Like so many of my fellow "greenthumbers" I woke up Saturday morning eager to tackle my spring cleanup list and found snowflakes in the air… Yikes! However, buds are breaking and grass is greening and a little wind and snow was no match for the powerful urge to get out in the garden. There is much to do and this is Wisconsin after all... We can handle it!
Yes, it's time for the main event in the gardener's annual rite of spring… "The spring cleanup". Which includes pruning, deadheading, thatching, fertilization, mulching, and finally applying a pre-emergent herbicide on the freshly mulched beds. It is amazing what a small investment and a little bit of elbow grease can do to improve the health and appearance of your lawn and garden.
OK, here are a few tips to get you started;
Pruning – Shrubs grown primarily for foliage, (alpine currant, barberry, burning bush, dogwood and ninebark), should be pruned in early spring before growth begins. Spring and early summer blooming trees and shrubs, (azalea, chokeberry, forsythia, lilac, and spirea), should be pruned immediately after their bloom time. Next, it's time to clean up the perennials and grasses in the garden. – Cut away the dead leaves and foliage it is important to remove the cuttings and branches from around the base of the plant prior to mulching which will help reduce the possibility of pests or disease. Continue "deadheading" (cutting the spent flowers from your perennials) throughout the growing season to prolong blooms or encourage re-blooms. In the case of spring bulbs, once the plant has flowered, I suggest trimming only the yellow or brown plant material, rather than cutting the plant off at the base. This may require several visits with the pruners, but by doing this it will allow the transfer of vital nutrients to return to the bulb. Oh, and don't forget the area around the receding tulips and daffodils makes a wonderful spot for petunias, and other colorful annuals.
Next you are ready to divide and transplant your summer and fall blooming perennials - Many of our favorites require dividing sometime within two to five years of their initial planting. This is a bonus for garden enthusiasts. Some of my favorite plants in my garden were gifts from friends that had divided their prize irises, daylilies and grasses. Typically, Stella d' Oro daylilies should be divided by their third spring to revitalize their blooms. However, other perennials require dividing at different intervals depending on the species. For further information and a comprehensive list of spring perennials and the recommended division times, please visit our website - www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
Next, you are ready to fertilize your plants with a low-salt organic fertilizer. If you happen to live near a watershed, you will want to watch the phosphorous content as well. And finally, it is time to top dress the planting beds with double shredded hardwood mulch and apply a granular pre-emergent herbicide. This will give your garden a rich, neat appearance, encourage healthy soil and help you to retain valuable moisture while preventing the spread and germination of weeds. Take caution to avoid piling the mulch up against the stem of the plant. I suggest an inch and a half clearance for shrubs and perennials. One note on pesticides… "If hiring out this service, it is important to use licensed applicators". In the state of Wisconsin, anyone who applies any pesticide for hire must be licensed as a commercial applicator. According to Lawn and Garden News…The definition of a pesticide is "a substance or mixture of substances used to destroy or control any undesirable form of animal or plant life… The pest can be mice, flies, bacteria or even weeds. "A licensed applicator will ensure that safe practices are being followed. Check with your landscape professional.
So relax, roll up your sleeves and embrace this wonderful blessing called spring. With a little effort now you will enjoy a beautiful outdoor environment all season long.
James "Motor" Merritt – Partner & Creative Director
Living Color Landscapes
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