October-2009

Turf: 

Fertilize now for spring green! In Kansas, it is recomme to apply the majority of the lawn's annual fertilizer during the fall months. We recommend a total of 4-5 lbs per 1,00 square ft. annually on bluegrass and/or fescue cool season lawns, 2-2.5 lbs of which needs to be applied during the fa So as you can see, it is very important to apply significant amounts of nitrogen to your lawn this fall. For Aspen turf customers, Round 6 applications should be finished up around 10/12. During this application we targeted broadleaf weeds, and applied a heavy feeding of nitrogen. Round 7 winterizer treatments will be applied during the month of October into the early days of November. Once these applications are complete, lawn treatment will cease until Spring pre-emergent. THANK-YOU for your business in 2008! Mother Nature gave us plenty of moisture this year, and we able to maintain beautiful turf all season. We hope you'v been just as pleased with your lawn as we have this year. Thank-you for helping us make 2008 a "green" year! We h to see your grass again in 2009. - Your Aspen turf team

Design & Build: 

Fall is a great time to plant! Some plant experts beleive that fall planting is just as good as spring, if not better. Cooler fall temperatures, and limited plant growth all provide low-stress situations for plants installed during fall months Plants typically begin to go dormant beginning in September thus requiring little energy production. By the time Spring rolls around, your new plants are ready to take off. **Note: Make sure an extra layer of mulch is used on fall plantings to help protect the un-established roots through the winter. Drainage solutions should be installed now before Winter approaches and Spring rain returns. Aspen lights up the night with our low voltage outdoor lighting options. Lighting up your most important investment isn't only safe & practical; it also creates an ambiance & inviting appeal making your home the perfect place for entertaining guests t summer. Bed mulching will add protection to your plants throughout the harsh winter months, especially new plantings. Call us to get your fall mulching qoute. We are currently taking requests for fall shrub trimming. If you would like to have your shrubs trimmed this fall, please call us to schedule an appointment. Take a quick peak.... at some of our projects we've done this year in our photo gallery that can be accessed from homepage.

Mowing: 

Mow low! It is time to lower your blades for the Fall season.  During Autumn months, turf begins to grow horizontal/spreading rather than the vertical/top growth habit of the spring.  Mowing heights should be around 3" during September and October. Changing directions when you mow during stressful periods will prevent the plant from laying over in the same direction and causing damage to the turf. If you would like information on our "custom mowing," please contact the office. Leaf clean-ups will start around November 1st. During fall clean-up #1 we will clean turf areas only. Fall clean-up #2 will include the turf and beds. 

Arborist's Corner: 

Dormant oil works!  Fall dormant oil applications are helpful in ensuring that pests do not overwinter on your ornamentals and cause damage next spring.  These applications should be performed in Late September-November. 

Please call us if you'd like more information about our plant protection programs including:  "Save your Pines!", deep root fertilization, insecticide programs, Ash borer treatments, Iron injections and much more.

    We've finished our "5 round" treatment program for the year. If you had insect or fungus problems this year, please feel free to call us to get our recommendations for protection in 2009. We'd be more than happy to come give you our advise and opinions on how to keep your "plant investment" safe. Thank you to all of our Aspen Tree and Shrub customers for letting us keep your plants protected in 2008! We feel like 2008 was a successful year. Of the over 300+ tree and shrub accounts we treat; we lost only (1) plant to insect damage, and it was from bagworms. Overall, we were able to keep problem insects like bagworms, spider mites, and scale under control and away from our shrubs this year. Thanks again! - Your Aspen Arborist
Irrigation: 

DON'T FORGET TO SCHEDULE YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM WINTERIZATION. OUR SCHEDULE FILLS UP FAST AND WE HAVE LIMITED SLOTS SO CALL TODAY.

 Here are you fall irrigation recommendations: TURF AREAS: Rotors- 2 days per week @ 25 minutes per zone Sprays- 2 days per week @ 7-10 minutes per zone BEDDING AREAS: Sprays- 2-3 days per week @ 5-8 minutes per zone HAVE YOU SEEDED? Rotors- 2 times every day @ 10-15 minutes per zone (2 week minimum) Sprays- 2 times every day @ 5 minutes per zone (2 week minimum) If you would like us to set your clock for the fall or make seasonal adjustments, feel free to call us to set up an appointment. Have you heard? Our Irrigation maintenance programs are our worry-free options perfect for the homeowner who doesn't have time to worry with watering their lawn. We call these programs "insurance for your sprinkler system". You pay a one-time yearly rate for the program, and the only costs you incur are for parts used on any needed repairs made during regularly scheduled visits. The SILVER program includes: annual start-up, winterization, & 2 maintenance checks during the season to make necessary adjustments and/or repairs. Our GOLD program includes all of the above, plus an in-depth system calibration. This calibration is guaranteed to save you $ on your water bill. Call us for more details or to sign up. Irrigation System Installation Remind us to give you a FREE start up and shut down when your family member or friend has a new Aspen system installed.

Landscape Maintenance: 

BEAUTIFUL MUMS AND PANSIES ARE HERE AND READY TO BE PLANTED IN YOUR LAWN!  Call us for details.

 

Bedding Leaf removal & winter prep will start taking place during October. We will spot clean areas that have heavy cover. If you would like us to perform an early fall cleanup, please call the office to schedule. Need our help in your garden? October is a great time to transplant and divide perennials during your regular maintenance visit. Daylilies, hostas, shasta daisies, and iris are some of the most popular perennials to divide due to their rapid growth habits. The easy way to determine what plants to divide in the fall is by following this simple guideline: if it blooms in the spring or summer than you are able to divide in the fall. The plant is able to focus on establishing roots and leaf growth during this time and not waste energy on producing flowers. If flowers are smaller than normal, there is a dead center in the plant, or poor or sparce bottom foilage your plant is trying to tell you they need dividing. Usually most plants start to show these types of stress every 3 to 5 years. The bright side is you have more plants for your landscape and it's free.

Did you know?: 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!