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Trust me
Posted by: john@lushecolawns.com In: Garden Care, Pruning 07 Aug 2020 0 comments Tags: cleanup, fall, fall lawn care, gardening, hedge trimming, landscaping, new lawn, planting, renovation, sod, transplanting

It’s August 7th, I just turned 44 and it appears summer has finally arrived on Vancouver Island. 2020 is continuing its trend of not following a trend or any plan whatsoever. This lack of norm has become the norm and depending on your perspective, it’s either devastating or long overdue. One thing we can all agree on, playoff hockey in August is AWESOME and the balanced weather has created exponential growth for your lawn and garden! With summer now in full swing, we should expect another month of hot days, dormancy and little rain (despite the random inch we got the other night).

So, what’s this mean for your yard this Fall? And is Fall a good time to do stuff in your yard? The answer is, not much and absolutely! Let’s start with a quick lawn reminder.

All grass on Vancouver Island is cool season grass. You don’t have to be a horticulturist to know this probably means your lawn prefers cooler temperatures. It really does. Once the thermometer surges above 25 your grass will let you know how it feels. The lushtre (wink) fades and depending on how committed you are to watering, your lawn will turn brown or in some cases, it may even appear white. Contrary to popular belief/what your partner says, your lawn is not dead. It’s not even dying. It’s dormant. All this mean is its energy has gone into the roots and it doesn’t give a damn how it looks. Insert life metaphor. This is not to suggest we should intentionally deprive this plant (yes grass is a plant, folks) of water for the summer but we can relax knowing that the lack of water is unlikely to be deadly. 

Fall brings cooler temperatures, rain and an unprecedented opportunity to re-imagine our space. It gives us several months of cool days and consistent water allowing the roots of our new plantings to grow deep. There is simply no better time of year to replace your lawn, renew your garden or transform your space. It’s not even close, folks. Fall is by far the BEST time of year to…

  • Rip out your existing lawn
  • Plant a new lawn
  • Renew your existing lawn
  • Rip out your existing plantings
  • Plant some new plantings
  • Renew/ transplant your existing plantings
  • Rip out that overgrown space (I’m looking at you blackberries and ivy)
  • Plant a new hedge
  • Trim your existing hedge
  • Rip out all those damn woke weeds
  • Plant some new weeds er wait…
  • Renew your existing weeds? ok stop John

You get the picture. Fall is cool and well watered and we must take advantage of these bonus freebies from Mother Nature.

As convincing of a case as I believe I’ve just made…I can hear some resistance…

  • But but John, I always aerate my lawn in the spring…
  • But but John, I always plant my flowers in the spring…
  • But but John, I always have my hedge trimmed in the spring…
  • But but John, I always get a spring cleanup in the spring…
  • But but John, I always budget for landscaping in the spring….
  • But but John, my partner says you’re full of sh…

I hear ya. And I respect you for pushing back. It means you’re engaged.. thinking. But, after eleven years of award winning lawn and garden care and thousands of satisfied customers, I’m going to push back and say… trust me. And trust the horticulturists I employ. Hell, trust your plants. They tend to speak up if you’re listening.

We got this!

Let’s get er done. 

Why Is It Important To Prune Your Plants?
Posted by: john@lushecolawns.com In: Pruning 08 Jan 2015 0 comments Tags: pruning, pruning plants

Pruning is the physical act of trimming branches, leaves or dead matter from a plant. Typically this is done to make the plant look more attractive or to help keep it healthy. Horticultural experts and landscapers generally agree that pruning is carried out for one (or more) of four different reasons: Training the Plant, Maintaining the Plant’s Health, Improving Flower / Fruit Quality and to Restrict Growth. With this entry we’ll take a brief look at each of these reasons.

Training the Plant: To keep a tree or shrub to a specific size or shape, it must be regularly pruned. The initial pruning of young trees or shrubs normally consists of removing broken, crossing, or any pest-infested branches. When pruning trees, the rule of thumb is to cut away 1/3 of the top growth during transplanting. This will compensate for root loss, a technique which is not necessary for properly pruned, nursery-grown plants. Excessive pruning at transplanting, according to research, reduces ultimate plant size and does not aid in plant survival. As a rule, the central leader of a tree should not be pruned unless a leader is not wanted, as is the case with some naturally low-branched trees or where multiple-stemmed plants are desired. Some pruning may be necessary to maintain desired shape and shorten extra-vigorous shoots.

Maintaining Plant Health: To prune a plant for health reasons first consider sanitation, which includes the pruning plants helps keep them healthyelimination of all dead, dying, or diseased wood. Any dying branch or stub can be the entry point or build-up chamber for insects or disease that could spread to other parts of the plant, with devastating results. When removing diseased wood such as a fungal canker or fire blight, it is important that the cut be made in healthy wood, beyond the point of infection and always with a sterile blade. The development of a sound framework through proper thinning will help prevent disease and loss of vigor while maintaining good form. Even evergreen shrubs will usually benefit from an occasional thinning of foliage. This thinning will allow penetration of light and air throughout the shrub, resulting in an even growth of the foliage.

Quality of Flowers/Fruit: The more flowers and fruit a plant produces, the smaller they become, as can be seen on a rose bush or fruit tree that has been left to its own natural devices. Pruning reduces the amount of wood and so diverts energy into the production of larger, though possibly fewer, flowers and/or fruit. Most flowering shrubs will bloom either on one-year old growth or on new growth. Properly timed pruning will increase the production of wood that will bear flowers. Some deciduous shrubs have colored barks which are especially delightful in winter. The best color is produced on young stems; the greatest stem length and most intense color results from hard pruning.

Restricting Growth: Over time, trees and shrubs will often grow to sizes that exceed the space allowed for them. Where space is limited, regular pruning becomes necessary to keep plants in bounds. Regular pruning is necessary on formal hedges to maintain a uniform growth rate. To reduce labor, select plants that will not exceed allotted space. A subjective thing, the gardener will maintain plant growth (such as with a hedge) to the size and shape best suited to their individual tastes or to the character of the lot. An extreme example of pruning to restrict size would be the traditional Japanese Bonsai Tree. Examples of these living art forms can remain in diminutive pots, yet are literally hundreds of years old. These elegant trees are testament to the skills and dedication of the artists who devoted so much energy and creativity to their appearance over the years.

If uncertain about your pruning requirements or needs, it’s always advisable to check with professional landscapers, such Lush Eco Lawns, to ensure the maximum benefit is achieved for your efforts.

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