Winds have been horrible this past week especially down the hill. Trees have gotten knocked over all over the place. I get lots of calls from people asking me about cutting their trees shorter so they won’t blow down in the wind. Really??
So people would like their trees to look like this?? Let me tell you that is NOT the way to keep a tree from getting blown over in the wind. You may not be aware of this, but it all comes from the two most important things, proper planning in the first place and proper care and maintenance. Simple. Selecting the correct tree for the location is key. If you only have room for a tree to grow so tall, or so wide, then just plant one that will reach it’s mature size in the range you want. Also stay with the type of tree that will do well in the location, soil, weather you have. I find that a lot of people not only do not know what the optimal growing conditions of their trees are, they do not even know the type of tree they have. Knowledge is power.
Maintenance is key to a healthy tree and healthy trees do not blow over in the wind. If you are lucky to plant the tree yourself or inherit a smallish tree, then the proper pruning when the tree is young is critical in developing healthy branches with strong connections to the main trunk. If you inherit an older or large tree, have a professional inspect the tree for issues that were not addressed earlier. Some things are obvious like crossing and dead branches. Some other things are not so obvious like compaction or destruction of root area due to construction or grade changes, disease and pest issues. Maintain your trees in a healthy state with proper watering and fertilizing and you will maximize the life of your trees and the benefit to you.
By Cindy Poore
Look at that. Just by changing one letter we went from a resolution to a revolution. BIG difference. A new day, a new month, a new year is always nice. A fresh start to the rest of your life. And how better to kick off your new life but with a tiny change.
We usually make big promises to ourselves at the start of the year that often get dropped in a few weeks because the promise was too big. How about if you start small?
Some times the smallest thing can make a BIG difference and they are easier to keep going. I started a few years ago with quitting soda and look where it took me. That small thing let to other things and it led me to a new and healthier life of exercising and eating real food, feeling great and looking a lot better too. A real revolution in my life.
Sometimes we let barriers we build for ourselves get in our way and keep us from moving forward. X has to happen before we can do Y and so on. Just ask yourself is that really true? What would happen if it didn’t go down that way. You just may make a small change that changes your whole world. Think about it and make 2015 your Revolution to your new world.
Cold enough for ya?
Yup it finally got cold, AND we had rain and some got snow. Now everybody is scurrying from the car to the house with nary a glance to the outdoors. Just get inside and get warm! But your yard and garden still need your help.
When it is cold like this, you need to keep an eye on the weather. When we get rain and or snow you do not have to water your garden so make sure your sprinkler clock is shut off for a bit until it needs watering again. Yea!!
How much moisture fell from the sky will determine when you need to water again. I’ve said this before about watering in the winter. Some people just turn off the clocks in November and don’t turn them on again until April and others never touch their clocks at all and their watering system continues as it did in the summer. Neither approach is correct.
Changeable weather conditions here can make scheduling watering during the winter months difficult because so much needs to be taken into consideration. Soil type, precipitation or lack thereof and freeze conditions make your scheduling life difficult.
To help properly know when to water, new sprinkler controllers known as “smart controllers” are helping people better know when to water. Smart controllers use weather stations or soil moisture sensors to determine when and how long water. These new irrigation controllers take the guess work out of watering your landscape. Call us if you need advice on when and how to water. If you feel like one of the “smart controllers might be a good fit for your needs, call us we can install that for you as well.
(760) 868-6104
Pluviophile : (n) a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days
Got fruit or nut trees? NOW is the time to prevent lots of problems with a dormant oil application. Dormant oil is an organic method for preventing overwintering insects from ruining your fruit this summer. For apples and pears with coddling moth this is the least expensive treatment option that will give good results.
Not much can easily eradicate the coddling moth once your trees are infested. But you can minimize them with good orchard sanitation by pruning your trees now and removing all tree litter under your trees and applying a good dormant oil application now.
Other Coddling moth treatments require repeat applications of pricey organic treatments with perfect timing of stage of development and degree days. Dormant oil is the next best option. Treat with dormant oil and inspect your fruit when it is forming. Thin your fruit and bag each fruit with paper bags or nylon sacks (made from old pantyhose). Dispose of any fruit (off site) that you find with the worms as soon as you find them.
With the rain comes the weeds!
You will see the green coming to the valley in the weeks ahead. The lovely rain we had is all that is needed to wake up the weed seeds that have been lying dormant until now. Give us a call and we can spray to kill those weeds, or better yet, call us now and we will put down a weed preventer with the weed killer and you will not see weeds for months to come!
Plan and organize your veggie garden and order the seeds you will want to grow this spring. Try something different this year, even if only in a pot!
Time to prune those rose bushes! January is the typical month to do the annual severe pruning for your rose bushes to develop strong, healthy canes and beautiful roses come this spring. We can do it for you. Call us.
Need help with scheduling, pest or weed issues or removing your water thirsty grass? Give us a call!
We Are Here to Help You With
All Your Landscape Needs
(760) 868-6104
We finally got some cool weather along with a bit of rain. Not much, but a good start and just enough to start up a fire. Rain and a good fire reminds me of the restaurant scene in Harry met Sally. Yes, yes, yes!
With the cooler weather and shorter days, you need to be adjusting your sprinkler system like crazy to allow for the reduced water needs of your landscape.
If you haven’t already, fertilize your trees and shrubs soon for a healthier sleep through winter and an quick start in spring.
We just changed back to standard time. Some of you have battery operated sprinkler timers and now is a good time to change the batteries in those if we haven’t already done it for you recently.
Want a fall adventure but can’t get away for a trip? Take an afternoon and drive up to Wrightwood. The road is short and uncomplicated and the drive is worth it! Beautiful pines and fall trees and crisp air. Lots of cute little shops and tasty restaurants to temp you. Go up on a Friday afternoon and stop by the Farmer’s market. I got some terrific organic apples there and made some amazing no sugar apple butter with them.
CRAFTY? While you are there, pick up some pretty fall leaves. Spray one side of the leaves with some spray adhesive and stick to the inside of a quart Mason jar. Place a battery votive candle inside and voila! Instant Thanksgiving table decoration.
“Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Falling from an autumn tree”
Emily Bronte
Bark beetles. They are a big problem here in the Inland Empire and the High Desert for our pines and conifers There are bark beetles that attack pines, arborvitae, cypress, false cypress, junipers, and redwoods and many others). California has over 20 varieties of bark beetles. In years past, our mountain communities of Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead and Wrightwood have been hit hard. There has been a big push in the last few years to cut down the stricken trees to minimize the spread to other trees and the fire potential.
We thought we had crossed the safety mark a few years back and had turned the tide towards getting a handle on them after mass removals of the dead trees. The current drought conditions are making us rethink that as the bark beetles are back with a vengeance due to insufficient water to our trees.
The bark beetle adults are small, hard-bodied insects about the size of a grain of rice and most are dark red, brown, or black. Look for a pattern like buckshot on the bark surface of infested branches or trunks where the new adults have emerged. The adults tunnel through the bark and lay eggs under the bark. The eggs hatch and become larvae that tunnel through the inner bark, where they overwinter, creating large galleries of tunnels where they disrupt the flow of water and nutrients to the tree resulting in dead or dying branches and eventually the entire tree.
The larvae then emerge from the tree as flying adults and they look for new trees to infest resulting in a ruthless cycle of death. Their favored target is a tree that is stressed by drought, improper planting, improper pruning or other conditions.
Because the beetles live in the protected space under the bark, it is very difficult or sometimes impossible to obtain control once the tree is infested. Timing is all important when making applications to prevent infestation.
Prevention is the best way to combat these beetles with proper maintenance and watering. Most people do not water their trees well. They start with one or two little emitters that put out a gallon of water each when ran for an hour, and then they cut down the watering schedule to 10 or 15 minutes a day thinking the trees should be watered the same as a spray system for your lawn. (Hey that’s not right for your lawn either, but that’s another article). 15 minutes with a 1 gallon per hour emitter is 32 ounces. Not very much except for the tiniest of trees.
As the tree grows, it will require a lot more water. A typical tree with a 15 -20 foot spread can use as much as 50 gallons of water a day. BUT you should not water every day either. The best way to water trees is to water infrequently, perhaps 2-3 times a week in summer. Water deeply when you do water so that the soil is wet down at least 12 -14 inches. Depth and frequency will depend on tree type. soil type and weather.
A key component of prevention is to provide proper maintenance and have a licensed pest applicator apply a systemic insecticide to prevent the beetles from getting established. Systemic insecticides are taken in by the tree’s vascular system and distributed throughout the tree so that when a beetle bores into the tree trunk to lay it’s eggs, it is killed by the insecticide, thus preventing it from laying eggs that will hatch into the larvae that will kill the tree. There are many methods of application for the insecticides.
Give us a call. We are licensed pest control applicators and we are experienced to help you with your tree pest issues.
(760) 868-6104
Fall is for FOOTBALL!
Football season means Sundays are casual. Have some soup and some chips and dip. Get your onion fix.
Homemade Onion Dip
( no comparison to store bought)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups diced yellow onions
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ cups sour cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
½ tsp ground pepper
½ tsp kosher salt
Saute oil and onions and salt in a fry pan slowly over medium heat until they are caramelized (not burnt). This will take about 20-30 minutes. Set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients and then add the cooled onions and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Mix again and serve with your favorite chips.
Redskins and Onion Soup
3 Tbl olive oil
1 ½ lbs of white onions, chopped
¾ lbs of Redskin potatoes diced into ½” chunks
5 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pan add oil and onions and saute on low until translucent but not brown, about 30 minutes.
While onion is cooking, place potato cubes in a steamer and steam potatoes until soft about 10 minutes. When onions are ready, add the steamed potatoes and the chicken broth to the soup pan with the potatoes and heat through. Puree soup in several batches if necessary in a food processor or use a stick blender and blend right in the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste and heat to serving temperature. Ladle in bowls and top with chopped tomato or shredded cheese and serve with warm french bread and butter.
“Eating is a necessity, but cooking is an art”
- Staying Home May 31, 2020Staying home has new meaning since the tragic and crazy world of COVID-19. While most are keeping a low profile at home, Perfection Landscape knows that we are essential for helping our clients care for their home environments. We continue to do maintenance for our regular and new clients keeping with social distancing guidelines for […]
- Weeds are Back! March 10, 2018Is your yard Exploding with weeds ? You may think a few weeds here or there aren’t much to worry about, but did you know most weeds are capable of producing over a thousand seeds each? Rain and the warmer weather that will follow will make conditions just right for hose little land mines […]