 Prices For 2006
Five Application Tree & Shrub Program Lawns 5,000 sq. ft. & under—$139.00 Lawns 10,000 sq. ft. & under—$179.00
Lawns over 10,000 sq. ft.—add $5.00 for each additional 1,000 Sq. Ft.
Pricing for Aeration $49.00 for lawns under 5,000 sq. ft.
$79.00 for lawns under 10,000 sq. ft. (414) 425-4331
Tree and Shrub Fertilizing Fertilizing trees and shrubs of the home landscape can be a very important part of maintaining an attractive landscape. Properly applied fertilizer will improve plant vigor, reverse a decline and lessen susceptibility to pests or disease. Why Important In a forest environment, trees are naturally fertilized by decaying plant and animal matter that continuously enriches the soil. In an urban or residential environment conditions are significantly different. Organic material is swept away long before it can return nutrients to the root areas. The soil is tightly packed, restricting the supply of water and air to the roots. The amount of water that a tree receives is frequently inadequate due to either neglect or dry climate. Add to this, the fact that we often plant trees and shrubs in places they should not be. This puts them under additional stress making them susceptible to insects and disease. Because of the absence of these essential nutrients and these additional stresses, tree and shrub fertilization is necessary. When To Apply Active root growth most often occurs in early spring and late fall when soil temperatures are cool and there is a little competition from top growth for water and nutrients. Fertilizing the roots at this time will strengthen the trees and shrubs and improve health. How To Apply There are many techniques of fertilizing tress and shrubs. Though each method has advantages in situations, woody plants in most cases, respond best to soil injection applications. Naturescape uses an injector lance sticking about 12 inches into the soil operating at 150-200 pounds of pressure per square inch. The injections are normally about three feet apart placed below the extent of the above canopy of the trees and shrubs. Thatch and Aeration What Is That Thatch? Thatch is an accumulation of dead plant tissue between the soil and its live vegetation cover. It is not caused by grass clippings but by the woody, slow to decompose stems, rhizomes and stolons below the grass blades. Cause of Accumulation Heavy clay soils are a chief factor favoring thatch accumulation through retention of moisture. This causes less oxygen, thus decomposition does not occur as rapidly. Vigorous, thick lawns will also build up thatch faster. Lawns with frequent watering and nitrogen fertilizer applications contribute to thatch accumulation. Any other combination of factors retarding decay and decomposition also favors thatch. Damage From Thatch The biggest problem with a buildup of thatch is that the thatch layer prevents water and nutrients from reaching the plant roots. The water collects in the thatch layer and evaporates before it penetrates through to the root system. Thatch reduces the space available for producing new turf. Where crowded by thatch, the new plant parts tend to grow rapidly as they seek light and space, thus producing long, thin leaves with shallow roots. Thatch harbors disease inoculum. Turf diseases such as fusarium, dollarspot, and brown patch are favored by excess thatch. Thatch favors insects by hiding them from their predators. Thatch favors winter desiccation because the roots are concentrated in the thatch rather than in the protective soil. Finally, variable thicknesses and density of thatch make scalping by mowers almost inevitable. Control of Thatch-Aeration NATURESCAPE recommends Aeration as the best control for thatch accumulation. Aeration or coring provides for this by pulling cores of soil and thatch out of the soil. Hollow metal tubes 1/2 inch in diameter are pushed into the soil to a depth of 3 to 4 inches to pull out the cores. This allows oxygen to enter and contribute to decomposition of the thatch and promote deeper root growth. Also, as nature breaks up the cores, the solid will filter into the turf and support the microbial decomposition of the undisturbed thatch. Aeration is also preferred because there will be less tearing and disruption of the lawn surface as with dethatching. The aeration process also minimizes the damage that heavy thatch can cause. It does this by opening up the thatch, allowing air, water and fertilizer to reach the soil and expanding root system. Annual aerating will prevent a damaging thatch layer from ever building up. NATURESCAPE offers aeration in the spring and fall at very reasonable prices. Please call us if you are interested in this valuable service. Naturescape will be providing these valuable services this fall. Please call so we can schedule you for these beneficial services. Your Satisfaction Is Fully Guaranteed! |