When the leaves on the trees start to fall, each year you are faced with a tough decision: to bag, or not to bag, that is the question.

Raking and bagging leaves is a tedious Colorado Springs landscaping chore. It means spending countless hours outside, hoping and praying a gust of wind doesn’t come along and undo all your hard work. However, despite your disdain for this Colorado Springs landscaping have-to, you know that leaving the leaves on the lawn or Colorado Springs landscape isn’t an option. Or is it?

Many homeowners believe in the power of mulching. Landscaping experts say it is a common misunderstanding that using a lawn mower to mulch leaves is bad for your turf or Colorado Springs landscape. Quite the contrary, actually. But mulching the leaves and cutting them up into teeny tiny little bits, you will create a buffet of nutrients and organic matter on which your Colorado Springs landscape can feed and thrive.

In addition to the nutritional benefit and the fact that mulching leaves with a lawn mower requires less time and effort, there is also the environmental benefit. Unless you use the brown leaf bags provided by Lowe’s or The Home Depot, you’re probably filling plastic bags and hoping the garbage men don’t get too nosy when loading your trash into the compactor. These plastic bags will end up in landfills, taking up even more room and putting a material (plastic) into the ground that will never decompose.

So the next time your Colorado Springs landscape is covered with leaves, rev up the mower and get those leaves mulched!

Because Leyland Cyprus trees are coniferous and not deciduous, they are resilient to most diseases and insect infestations that are devastating to other trees. However, because they are coniferous and not deciduous, some of the insects they do attract are among the most harmful when it comes to a tree’s health.

Leyland Cyprus trees still have a few environmental enemies that are capable of severely damaging, if not altogether killing the tree, including bagworms and spider mites. One of the ways to prevent these infestations, as well as the damage that occurs along with the presence of these tree pests, is to engage in helpful tree care practices. As with all plants, landscaping experts insist that correct pruning procedures must be engaged in order to keep the tree healthy. According to Colorado Springs landscapers, if proper techniques are not followed, the tree can become severely and irreparably injured.

Landscaping specialists say Leyland Cyprus trees will greatly benefit from bi-annual shearing. Over-shearing, which means shearing more than twice a year, can actually weaken the tree and leave it vulnerable to fungal infections. Landscapers recommend spaying the Leyland Cyprus with fungicide immediately after it has been sheared. In addition to fungal infections, the Leyland Cyprus usually only suffers from four other diseases: Seiridium cankers, Botryospaeria, Cereosporidium and Phytopht, also known as root rot. The good news is that with the right preventative care, the Leyland Cyprus may remain unaffected by these diseases.

To find out more about proper landscaping techniques for the Leyland Cyprus, call your local Colorado Springs landscaper and schedule a consultation.

Winter pruning allows Colorado Springs landscaping experts to fully assess the health and structural integrity of the tree without the interference of foliage. It is important to have this process scheduled early in the winter in order to give Colorado Springs landscaping specialists time to accurately diagnose any problems and devise solutions to keep your Colorado Springs landscape looking beautiful.

Winter is the ideal time for pruning because the limbs can be fully assessed without the weight of foliage on them. Pruning is generally known to encourage growth, so when it occurs during the growing season, new tissue and bark are constantly being added to the branches. When the foliage is no longer on the tree, proper pruning can take place to establish how much dead or decaying material is on the tree.

Pruning during the growing season is encouraged, but can disrupt the tree’s energy. Landscaping authorities say that since leaves are the primary food source for trees, the pruning that goes on during the summer actually decreases the amount of energy the tree is getting. Obviously the tree is capable of getting through the winter on reserved energy sources, so pruning does not have as much of an impact.

Another reason why winter pruning is ideal and beneficial is because the tree is completely dormant, including disease and insect activity. Pruning sometimes makes trees vulnerable to insect infestations and diseases, especially if the pruning techniques aren’t performed correctly and the tree is wounded. If perchance the tree is wounded during winter pruning, it will be able to seal before or during the early spring before insects and diseases become active once again.

For more information on winter pruning, contact your local Colorado Springs landscaping company and schedule a consultation!

Japanese Beetles are a common landscape pest, affecting both trees and lawns alike. While these pests cause issues for your lawn by laying eggs underneath the soil, the affect they have on trees comes from their own feeding. A perfectly healthy tree or lawn can be seriously damaged if corrective action isn’t taken by a professional landscaping specialist.

Japanese Beetles are often found in clusters because their scent attracts more beetles to the area. So even if you see only a few beetles here and there at the beginning of the season, don’t be fooled; over time this population will rapidly increase and have an incredible effect on your landscape.

Landscaping experts say the best way to protect your ornamentals is by placing a fine netting material over the foliage. However, this obviously is not feasible when you are dealing with a larger tree. If this is the case, professional-grade insecticides need to be utilized to eliminate Japanese Beetle populations. Most landscaping companies will employ insecticides that are injected into the soil around the tree in order to get the formula directly into the root system. This will cause the Japanese Beetles to die after they consume the treated foliage. And of course, if they die, they won’t have a chance to lay their eggs underneath your soil, saving your lawn from grubs.

If Japanese Beetles are common to your area, it is important to implement preventative care to ensure your ornamentals and lawn remains protected. Call your local landscape company and have an expert help you protect your landscape!

Bagworms are often the bane of any homeowner’s existence. These stubborn insects can take a perfectly healthy and beautiful landscape and destroy it in a matter of months. Their incessant feeding depletes trees and shrubs of the nutrients necessary to keep them alive and thriving, thus killing the plants if there is no intervention.

The presence of bagworms is usually not diagnosed until early June, at which time the introduction of pest control applications is usually effective. The key is to eliminate them before they begin to reproduce, which they do at a rapid rate. If nothing is done about their presence in your trees until mid- to late summer, landscaping experts say saving your trees might be much more difficult, if not impossible. As time passes, the “bag” becomes thicker, making it more resilient against insecticides.

The primary method used by many landscaping specialists is removing the bags from the trees and burning them. In addition to this process, professional-grade insecticides are applied to stop reproduction and ward off future infestations.

If you have had problems in the past with bagworms and can’t afford to lose more trees to these destructive critters, contact your local landscaping professionals and ask them for their help in reducing these populations before it is too late.

Superior landscaping involves many steps, but perhaps none is as important as proper hydration. After all, a landscape cannot succeed without water. Adequately hydrating your landscape is not an exact science, but it is close. The best plan is to install a sprinkler system that ensures your landscape is watered every day at the same time. Sprinkler systems with a timer are even more ideal, but you still have several options there. Landscaping specialists highly recommend pulsating sprinklers for the best results.

Pulsating sprinkler systems spray water into the air and allow the water to fall back down to the ground in a fine mist. There are five different types of pulsating sprinklers: impulse, traveling, stationary, oscillating and rotary. Impulse sprinklers are the top choice of landscaping professionals because they cover larger areas.

It is important to know if you have high or low water pressure, as that also factors in to which type of pulsating sprinkler you choose for your landscaping needs. If you have low water pressure, an H-base is a better choice than a spike-based sprinkler which is better suited for high pressure.

Pulsating sprinklers have the benefit of being designed with gusty winds in mind, as well as low-hanging trees or tall shrubs. The height of the water spray can be adjusted accordingly and since the water is typically sprayed close to the ground, its spray is unaffected by the wind.

If you think a pulsating sprinkler may be beneficial to your lawn, contact your local landscaping company. Many landscaping companies also install irrigation systems, especially since proper hydration makes their job that much easier!

Most people know that when they want to increase their soil’s pH level to enhance the quality and rate of growth of the plants in their Colorado Springs landscape, they add lime. However, what should you do if you want to decrease the pH level of your soil?

Landscaping experts recommend using sulfate and sulfur to reduce your soil’s pH level. If you use sulfate, you will notice immediate results in your Colorado Springs landscape because the aluminum within the sulfate dissolves and quickly produces acidity within the soil. Sulfur applications can take quite a bit longer, sometime even months, to produce any noticeable difference. If you choose to use sulfur, you will have to use other applications on your Colorado Springs landscape plants in the meantime to enhance their growth.

Regardless of what type of materials you use, both should be manipulated into the soil after it has been applied to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment. If you are applying the sulfate or sulfur yourself, take care not to get it on any surrounding Colorado Springs landscaping plants. If you do, wash the leaves of the plants off as soon as you can to prevent leaf burn. You should also be aware of how much you’re applying and take measures to not over-apply either.

The best solution is to contact your Colorado Springs landscaping company and let them handle the process.

As we get out our heavier sweaters and winter coats to protect ourselves from the cold, it’s also time to think about our trees, shrubs and plants.  Just like many of us don’t like a dip in temperatures and unpredictable temperature swings, neither do most plants.  But there are some things you can do to help make sure your precious ornamentals will survive what Mother Nature has to dish out this winter.

One of the biggest problems is that trees and shrubs lose a lot of moisture during the winter and tend to dry out.  To help prevent that from happening, it’s important to continue to water all your trees and plants throughout the entire fall, as long as possible.  Mulch is also important.  It’s recommended that a layer of mulch two-to-four inches thick is placed around the base of your landscape plants and trees to help them retain moisture.  Anti-desiccant sprays can also help.  They leave a waxy coating on evergreen needles preventing moisture loss.  You can also wrap your trees in canvas or burlap.  That will help them retain moisture during windy days and help prevent breakage from heavy snow.

Fertilization is also a key to keeping your trees and shrubs healthy, but you have to make sure you do it at the right time.  You must fertilize after they’ve gone dormant so the nutrients can help the plants overwinter and recover in the spring.  If they’re not dormant, the fertilizer may spur growth making the plant vulnerable to damage.  Now is also the time to protect against hungry critters.  Place a metal guard or liquid repellent around the base of trees and shrubs to keep small animals from eating them for dinner when the food supply diminishes.  It’s also a good time to put up windbreakers and tie branches together with twine or netting to prevent breakage from the weight of snow.

Also beware of salt or ice-melting products.  Just like they’re hazardous for animals, they’re also hazardous for your plants and trees.  Use sand instead and make sure you protect your ornamentals from salt thrown by road crews, with plastic sheeting.  And when the white stuff sticks, be sure to remove all accumulating snow on your landscape plants and trees with a broom so they’re not damaged.

Most homeowners plant their flowers, trees and shrubs without giving any thought to the quality of the soil in which they are planting. It isn’t until their landscape is unsuccessful despite their best efforts that it may dawn on them that the soil’s pH, or acidity, level may not be where it should. In order to grow a successful landscape, it is important to periodically test your soil’s pH level.

What is a pH level? Testing your soil’s pH level is measuring how acidic the soil is, and depending on the type of plant in your landscape, your soil needs to be at a certain acidity level. So it is important to check with your local landscaper to find out what level your soil needs to be in order to produce the biggest yield from your plants.

What happens if the pH level isn’t where it should be? If your soil isn’t acidic enough or is too acidic, your landscape plants become prone to disease and insect damage. Furthermore, the plants will grow at a much slower rate and produce less than they typically should.

What should my soil’s pH level be? As previously stated, the soil’s pH level should be manipulated to please the landscape plant. However, most landscapers say the ideal pH level is between 6.5 and 7.

How often should I test my soil? Landscaping experts recommend testing your soil every three years. If you are not sure how to test your soil, your local Colorado Springs landscaping company will be happy to help you with this process.

You have been noticing that the plants in your landscape are not growing as fast as they should or perhaps they just do not appear as vibrant as they used to look. You may want to call your Colorado Springs landscaping company and ask them to perform a soil analysis. There could be several explanations as to why your landscape isn’t thriving, but one reason may be that the pH level of your soil is not where it should be. If that is the case, your Colorado Springs landscaping specialist will more than likely suggest lime applications to correct the acidity level. However, wood ashes are an alternative to lime applications that with continual use can have the same level of effectiveness as lime.

The reason wood ashes are used to correct the pH level of soil is because the ashes contain small quantities of boron, potassium, phosphate and other elements pertinent to increasing the soil’s pH level. If you do decide to use wood ashes, you need to be vigilant about using them often and having your soil’s acidity tested annually. Wood ashes are particularly effective in sandy soils. Landscaping experts recommend spreading a thin layer of the ashes over the soil in the winter, then mixing the ashes in with the soil again in the spring. Be aware of what other plants the ashes come into contact with, as they can cause damage to plant roots or seedlings that are in a state of germination.

If you aren’t sure about how much to use or how to correctly apply the wood ashes, call your Colorado Springs landscaping professional.