Fall Tree Pruning and Planting

Fall is a great time to plant and prune your trees. The months of cool fall and winter temperatures give newly planted trees and shrubs time to establish their roots before the hot summer weather returns.

Fall Tree Pruning

The goal of fall tree pruning is to improve the growing conditions for the next year’s growing season. After the spring and summer growing seasons, overgrown branches and limbs can cause damage to your property. Removing damaged or diseased limbs will not only contribute to the overall health of the tree, it will also help prevent falling tree limbs. Trees should be pruned to allow “room” for sunlight and breezes to naturally flow through. When done properly, pruning allows more light to shine through the branches and reduces the need for pesticides.

Fall Tree Planting

Did you know that tree roots will grow when the temperature is above 40 degrees? That means tree roots can continue growing during the milder fall and winter weather. This gives them the time to gain the strength they need to deal with hot summers.

Choosing the Right Tree for Your Property

TreeConsult with a professional landscaper before deciding which trees and shrubs to plant. A knowledgeable landscape professional can help you select the right plants for your property by helping you answer these questions:

  • What type of tree do you want or need?

  • Do you want an ornamental tree with colorful flowers and foliage or would a shade tree be a better fit for your property?

  • What size tree will fit in the desired area? Consider the mature height and width of the tree and if it will work in your landscape.

  • Pay specific attention to the soil conditions, light and water requirements of the tree or shrub.

Terracare Associates specializes in landscape maintenance for commercial properties throughout the western United States. We manage the landscapes of hundreds of retail sites, homeowner associations, multi-family complexes, industrial projects, hotels, municipalities and commercial office campuses.

Steps to Finalize a Budget for your Commercial Landscape Property

Part 3

During the month of August, we will provide you a 5 part series on how to easily create your 2018 budget, with the help of your commercial landscape company. Below are the links to the other blog posts in this series:

4 Steps to building your budget

As a commercial property manager, you may cringe when you hear the word budget. The challenge lies in figuring out how to budget for your property’s landscape maintenance and receive the services you need to maintain a quality property. Understanding and clearly defining scope of work helps to build an accurate budget and communicate your needs to your commercial landscaper. To eliminate guessing games utilize your commercial landscape company to help determine the level of service you expect year round. We recommend four easy steps to help develop your budget and needs for the following year:

Step 1 – Educate and define services needed

Take the time to assess your property and determine what needs to be serviced over the next year. What services should be included in regular maintenance to keep your landscape in pristine condition? What additional work do you need to ensure a beautiful property in the future?  Education on plant and turf requirements and technical landscape best practices can help greatly on determining maintenance requirements.  Terracare Associates –TCA offers both one-on-one assistance and in-office workshops to educate your entire staff.

Step 2 – Contact your landscape professional

Landscaper Building a complete and accurate budget is daunting, so make it easier by contacting your landscape representative. This is a perfect time to ask for assistance when budgeting and forecasting for next year’s services.  TCA assigns a representative to every customer for a consistent and reliable support.

Identify a commercial landscape company who has the right experience, the right focus on customer service, and the right resources to get the job done.

Step 3 – Site improvements

A helpful tool to better understanding the needs of your property is a Landscape Quality Audit performed by your TCA account manager. Does your lawn need extra mowing or fertilization to improve its overall appeal? Are there ways in which plant health can enhance and protect the property assets, such as trees? Would adding mulch to a shrub bed raise the attractiveness of a property?  Check out the entrances, is it stunning?  Have a TCA representative complete a walk through of your property to perform this audit to suggest improvements or identify potential issues that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.

Need Help?

 

Below are some examples to consider when looking to improve your commercial property’s landscape:

 

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Step 4 – Complete your budget with end result in mind

How do you want your property to look? Include all landscape maintenance services that create the property you expect.  We have developed a simple budget worksheet exclusively for our customers to easily and quickly define services needed and associated costs. Contact your TCA account manager for help with the budget worksheet.  After clearly defining your property landscape maintenance needs, it’s a simple process to complete the development of a comprehensive budget.

Schedule an Appointment.

 

Interested in learning more about budgeting appropriately for next year? Let us talk today about how to budget for your commercial landscape maintenance needs, and why managing expectations is critical for a positive year long experience and partnership.

How this surprising landscape enhancement can revive your property

You’ve likely seen this enhancement right in front of your eyes, yet perhaps never noticed it. It’s an easy, cost efficient enhancement offering a significant impact on protecting your landscape and water bill. The enhancement is mulch. It is a great addition to help your trees and landscape thrive throughout the year. It especially plays a vital role during the hot summer months and during times of drought. So what is mulch and how can adding it improve your property’s landscape?

 

What is mulch?

Mulch is any type of material – natural or synthetic – serving as a cover and is spread over the surface of soil. It can take many forms including bark, compost, grass clippings, shredded leaves, and straw. Ideally it is economical, easy to apply and remove, stable, supplies organic matter to the soil, and free of weeds, insects, and diseases.

Mulch

How it can help.

  • Creates insulation. Mulch helps reduce water from evaporating off soil thus reducing the need to water plants frequently. It also helps keep plant roots cooler during the hot months.
  • Suppresses weeds. Mulch is most effective in minimizing the growth of weeds when thoroughly applied to an area. Areas with low or bare spots are prone to weed growth.
  • Improves soil quality. No matter the consistency of the soil you’re dealing with, mulch can help. In sandy soil, it provides nutrients and improves the soil’s ability to hold water. In soil containing clay, it helps break up the clay allowing better air and water movement through the soil.

 

As Donald A. Rakow noted on Cornell University’s website, “When water droplets land on bare soil, the impact causes soil particles to fly in all directions, resulting in soil crusting and slow water infiltration. Most mulches break the impact of the droplets, reducing soil erosion and crusting and increasing the penetration of water into the soil.”

 

Where you should use it.

Different types of mulch should be used around different areas on your property. In flower beds, consider using bark mulch to curb weed growth, improve soil quality, and water absorption. Around trees, remove the grass around the trees and replace it with mulch. This minimizes competition from water and nutrients. It again helps keep the roots moist and reduces damage from lawn mowers. Your landscape professional can help identify other areas where mulch can be added to your property.

 

TCA’s San Francisco Bay Area-based Enhancements Manager, Quinton Guenther sums it up, “Installing bark mulch on your property will instantly add curb appeal making your planter beds look crisp and clean. Additional benefits are water retention, pesticide reduction (less weeds) and help naturally build up the soil quality as the organic material breaks down over time.”

 

Are you considering adding enhancements to your property this summer or fall? Our experts are happy to meet with you to help with enhancement projects you’re looking to work on. Why not drop us an email so we can help you make your property its best?

Top 3 Tips for Keeping Landscape Plants Healthy

The spring solstice is just around the corner. So many property managers are gearing up for the arrival of warmer weather, new planting, and new growth.

Follow three easy tips for keeping your landscape investment in beautiful shape for years to come.

1. Provide proper irrigation

Set plants up to grow and bloom during the spring and summer months by taking proper care of them during the winter. This means making sure trees and other plants receive the correct amount of water and fertilizer during this time period.

Depending on location, hydration will be easier as plants receive water from snow melt and rain. For instance, in the milder climates of California, property managers will need to make sure that landscapes are adequately irrigated year-round without relying on heavy snows or rains.

2. Pick the best location for your plants

Make sure the ideal growing climate agrees with where plants, shrubs, or trees will be planted. Will it have room to grow fully or will it need to be continually trimmed to remain the space it’s been planted? Consider how various microclimates will affect the plant’s health.

If the plant requires full sun to grow and flourish, then make sure it is set in a location that provides full sun all day. Furthermore, space plants out in a bed. If plants are crowded together they will compete for light, water, and nutrients and also creates excess humidity allowing diseases to thrive.

3. Maintain it

To allow the plant to grow naturally and fully, make sure that the plant receives adequate water, the appropriate amount and correct type of fertilizer is pruned and monitored for pests. It’s easier to maintain healthy plants by constantly checking them rather than trying to revive stressed and unhealthy ones.

Every property and landscape is different and requires separate maintenance. In addition to sticking to these tips, it’s recommended to partner with landscape professionals to assess the best approach and preservation for your property.

Remember that often the property’s landscape is the first point of contact for visitors, so make the best impression. A clean, beautiful landscape adds curb appeal making it easier to market and adds value to your property.

To learn more about how TCA can work with you to improve your property’s landscape, please contact us.

Quinton Guenther serves as an Enhancement Manager for Terracare Associates in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. He specializes in offering services outside Terracares base maintenance contract including but not limited to upgrade or enhancement creative ideas and water saving systems. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact us to find out how TCA can help you improve your plants’ health.