Sunrise Landscape + Design: How a professional landscape company thinks and acts in Northern VA

Watering of plants

2011-06-10T19:47:00.000-04:00

As a designer I am constantly asked about installing a "low maintenance" landscape. For some reason I really get a kick out of this as people think that a living, growing landscape can look beautiful without any effort. Landscapes like people need care and nuturing for them to be good looking and successful. Water is vital to the survival of most living things. Plants are no exception. I would even dare to say that one of the main contributing factors to the death of a plant is water, either not enough or too much. It has been proven that plants that are irrigated properly (either with an irrigation system or manually) will grow at a faster rate and will have more health and vigor than plants that are left alone and let mother nature do the work. Bottom line; irrigation of plants is critical to the success and vigor of your landscape. For trees and shrubs, once they are established (planted for a minimum of 6-12 months) require 1 " of water per week. There are exceptions so know your plants! This may also be different depending on your soil conditions. Trees and shrubs in sand need more water as the water flows faster thru the soil. Plants in clay/loam soils which are typical here in Northern VA normally do best when they are getting an inch or so per week throughout the year, again this is a general statement. You can measure the amount of water with a rain gauge or cup placed in the area you are trying to track. If you have an irrigation system you can check it after you run your system or after there has been a rain event. Rain is tricky as amounts vary from different location only feet apart. I hear alot about "well it just rained so I do not need to water" when the fact is sure it rained for 10 minutes but you only had a trace amount actually getting to the soil and then due to the heat it evaporated back into the air before it got to the plant. This brings me to my next point: Plants absorb water thru their roots not their leaves! So when you are watering or an irrigation system is watering it is vitally important that the water is getting to the roots and not just hitting the foliage. Also any watering should be from the center of the plant out to at least the drip line (outermost foliage). Some plants for example; Japanese hollies have extremely dense root systems and water will not get to most of roots if you do not water them from the inside out.

Perennials, turf and annuals need more watering more often than most woody shrubs and trees. This is mainly due to the amount of root area and mass that can absorb water proportionally. For example you may notice when things get hot and dry that turf or other plants growing under a tree show drought stress sooner than others surrounding that area. The tree has a large well established root system in that area and has a tremendous capacity to literally suck that moisture out of the ground, where the smaller plants don't have that much capacity, strength of root system, and even depth of their root systems to get to moisture that is in their immediate area. The success of any annual planting is generally due to constant watering until they are at least established. They don't have the root mass, are planted in well drained soil media and are usually in raised beds that tend to dry out quicker. Turf also has a general shallow root system, especially in compacted clay soils, so they need to be watered 2-3 times per week, especially in the heat of the summer.

Here are a few critical watering things to keep in mind:
1) Water throughly. It is much better to water an area once per week for a long period of time vs many times per week for only a few minutes. There are exceptions: such as when plants have just been planted. This includes all plantings, especially sod, annuals and perennials!
2) Water the roots when possible. While usually it is better to water the plant any way you can vs. not watering at all, moisture on leaves in humid high stress conditions can lead to disease activity which can affect the health of the plant. Again if the choice is watering vs. getting water on the leaves by all means water.
3) Too much water in some cases can be just as bad as not enough. Boxwoods, rhododendrons, and many other plants don't like too much or too little water and typically do fine if the soil is well drained. In the clay soils here in Northern VA, too much water that does not drain away can cause some root rot issues along with creating alot of the same stresses that not enough water creates. So know your soils and water requirements for your particular plants and adjust your watering accordingly.
4) Timing of watering. There is alot of misinformation about what time to water. The optimal time is typically early morning just before or as the sun is coming up, ideally everything is done by 10:00am. The thought is as the sun comes up it evaporates the moisture from the leaves that if left wet overnight in hot humid conditions can facilitate disease activity. The opposite can also be a concern; watering in the heat of the day between noon and 5:00pm. The thought here is that in the heat of the day alot of the water you are putting down is evaporating or can magnify the sun, thus burning the leaves (this is a rarity in my opinion and watering will cool the plant, although not as critical).

My suggestion is this: If you have an irrigation system run it in the early morning hours haveing the program end by 9:00 am or so. For example if it takes 4 hours for your system to run it's cycle than start it @ 5:00am or earlier depending on the mowing schedule etc. If you can, do not water on the same day as it is mowed, just makes it easier on the mowing guys and the ground is firmer when not saturated. So if you are typically mowed on a Tuesday don't run your system until Thurs. That give the mowers some flexibility in their schedule in case something happens in their routine.
As far as timing I am more concerned with getting the plants the water they need rather than not doing because of the time of day. With adequate moisture the plants are healthier and fend off streses better and will look better overall. Remember plants need water to survive and thrive, they don't have the ability to just get up and go get a drink when they need it. It is up to us to help them when they need it.

Proper pruning; How critical is it?

2011-06-04T08:26:00.000-04:00

Proper Pruning can make or break a landscape.
It is another way to judge just how good your landscape really is.
You can pick the right plant and install it in the correct location only to have the traits of the plant minimalized by improper pruning.
There are a few questions that should be considered before any pruning is done at all:
1) Why am I pruning? For shape?, for structure?

2) Is the pruning going to help or hurt the flowering? Timing is everything on proper flower production for most plants. You need to know when they bloom.

3) Is this plant in the right place? For example am I pruning this plant because it is much too large for the space it is planted in? Some pruning to contain or shape the plant is ok. But if you are having to constantly cut the plant back severly then maybe it is not the right plant for that particular location.

You should know your plant species so that you can prune them properly at the correct time to help bring out the characteristics of the plants. In a perfect world we would prune every plant by hand at the absolute best time. Being realistic with schedules and production you can prune when you need to without doing harm to the plant; providing you are pruning properly. For example most flowering shrubs should be pruned after the flowers have bloomed. Otherwise you may be cuting off the flowers before they have bloomed thus not utilizing the reason the plant was even selected in the landscape. Know your plants: when they bloom, on what type of wood do they bloom; new or older? What will the effect be if they are pruned at a certain time?

Shearing is a way certain shrubs can be pruned, typically evergreens, to create a certain shape or contain a shrub to a certain area. However there are a few things to keep in mind as shearing over time can harm the plant. For example plants that are sheared over time typically only have growth on the outer few inches. Healthy plants typically have foliage growing throughout the plant that allows the leaves to create more energy through photosythesis and also to fill in as branches die or may be damaged. This requires some light getting to the interior of the plant. Too acheive this you may need to "hole punch" the plant by going in and removing small branches that will create a hole for light to get in to the interior of the plant. This also can give the plant more depth when viewed from a distance.

Pruning of perennials. This is one thing people don't usually even think about. I would encourage people to prune or even remove parts of certain perennials to help continue flowering, contain the plant(s) to a certain area, and remove spent or unsightly parts of the plant. This will typically encourage more growth and vigor when the plant is getting adequate nutrients and moisture. So don't forget to maintain your perennials.

Tree pruning can really be an art. In general trees can be pruned any time of year. Of course there are exceptions and you can read up on the particular species. Again the questions are: why you are pruning it, and what you are trying to acheive with the pruning? The key is to make good clean cuts with the proper tools and techniques. A sharp saw is a must for branches typically larger than 1/2" and a clean sharp pair of bypass hand pruners such as a Felco #2. For the saw I like one of the tri-cut saws that you can get in tight spaces but cut very smooth and easily. Word of caution these tools are extremely sharp and do not know the difference between a branch or your finger so pay attention how and what you are cutting!
One key point is to make sure when you make a cut on a branch that it does not rip the bark.
On smaller branches (1" or less) you can usually hold the branch with one hand and cut with the other.
On larger branches I suggest the 3 cut method: 1) About a foot or so above the where the branch is attached to where you want to remove it, cut underneath up into the branch 1/2"-1" depending on the size of the branch (you don't want to cut so much the saw gets bound up). 2) Further out from the underneath cut approximately 3" or so go ahead and cut the branch all the way through. The underneath cut should stop the branch from ripping the bark into the parts of the tree you want to save. 3) Now you can cut the remaining stub off back to the branch collar. This is probably the most critical thing in any tree pruning. Finding and cutting to the branch collar. If you cut into the branch collar, research has shown it severly affects how the tree "compartmentalizes" this wound. I suggest you research what a branch collar may look like for the particular species of tree you would like to prune. You do not want to leave a stub after removing a branch as it severly inhibits the tree from "healing" itself from the cut.
Pruning is an important part to the success of any landscape and hiring a true "professional" or doing it yourself the proper way can add real value to your property. The effort and money spent on pruning is well worth the effort and will set your property off from everyone else's.

How to create a healthy lawn!

2011-03-25T07:16:00.001-04:00

How to Create a Healthy Lawn

The first and most important part of establishing a good lawn begins with the soil it will be grown in. If you don’t have good soil it won’t matter how much fertilizer, watering or aeration you do, your grass still will not thrive. Begin by having a soil test done. You can check out: www.soiltest.vt.edu/soiltest for information on collecting the soil, cost, where and how to send it. I recommend the routine test, along with the organic matter and soluble salts tests. The test(s) will help you determine the pH level, nutrients and percentage of organic material within the soil. The more practical information you know the better decisions you can make.

Start with the pH level, which is a measure of acidity in the soil. Typically VA soils are acidic; turfgrass thrives in 6.5-7.0 range. If your soil is not in this range the grass has a hard time utilizing certain elements and nutrients that may already be in the soil. If the plant can’t absorb or utilize the fertilizer there is no sense in adding more to it. It is a waste of money and in this day and age of sustainability and going “green” you may be contributing to groundwater pollution. To change the soil pH, follow the recommendation on the test results. Usually this will require the addition of lime. Again follow the recommendations on the soil test for amount, frequency of application etc.

Another critical thing to look at in the soil test is the percentage of organics; typically I like to see between 5-8% organic matter in the sample. The more organics in the soil profile the more beneficial bacteria, fungus, mychorrhizae , etc. that improves the health of the soil. This will help to break down thatch and other organisms that can naturally build the health and provide more natural fertilizer to the turf. In fact if you can build a healthy soil there is less of a need for fertilizers and pesticides. The main thing about building good soil is that it does not happen overnight.

You must also determine the soil composition. Once you find out about the soil composition you can get a better understanding of whether you are working with clay, loamy, sandy or some combination of soils and how they react to certain situations you may need to deal with. One way to get a basic idea of the soil structure is to take a representative of soil from your sample, moisten it and knead it into a smooth, walnut shaped ball I your hand (if it is impossible to form a ball you, it is a sand soil). Using your thumb gently push a ribbon of soil of even thickness out between your thumb and crooked forefinger. A loamy sand soil will form no ribbon at all. A ribbon less than 1 inch indicates a loam; 1 to 2 inches, a clay loam and more than 2” a clay soil. While this is not a scientific test it gives you a general idea, although a soil test should also be taken to determine the soil composition.

There are also cultural practices that can help build and improve your soil profile. Regular aeration, at least twice per year will help to get air, water and nutrients down to the roots. A ¼” layer of good compost really will help build that healthy layer of organic matter. Water also plays a role in healthy soil and turf. Irrigation of ½ “ each twice a week will help keep the turf from getting stressed out and give the microorganisms in the soil the moisture needed to sustain itself. More than an inch per week is not really going to help. This is where an irrigation system really helps to make sure you get a metered consistent amount of moisture.

Not ready to tackle a healthy turf on your own? Give us a call we can help 703-544-0028.

Joe Markell

Sunrise Landscape + Design

www.sunriselandscapeanddesign.com

Crape Murder!!??

2011-03-17T16:28:00.000-04:00

Don’t commit “Crape Murder”!

As I was running some errands this past weekend I was amazed to see the legion of men outside on a gorgeous Sunday morning armed with their saws, loppers, and pruners committing “crape murder” as their wives stood guard with a menacing smirk. I could almost hear the trees begging for me to stop them.

In all seriousness, a crape myrtle should be there to provide you with beauty throughout the year. Obviously everyone notices the showy flowers, but the unique bark should also be admired. When pruning a crape myrtle the objectives should be to maintain it natural form, produce strong branches that can hold the flowers upright, and to opens its center to reveal the smooth, multi-toned bark that forms on mature trunks and branches. If you are pruning your tree to look like a hat rack you are not fulfilling these objectives. The bark will never develop correctly. Each nub will produce a weak mess of branches too flimsy to support the flowers.

Follow these guidelines to create a beautiful specimen. Pruning should ideally be done in late winter early spring. You want to remove all suckers at the base, crossing or rubbing branches, and branches growing towards the center of the plant. Any cuts should be made at the branch collar or just above an outward facing bud. Try to remove wanted branches before they become thicker than a pencil. If you are not sure please call a professional!

As a landscaper I have come across many excuses for why their crape myrtles have been murdered.

- “My neighbors all do it.” Your neighbors do a lot of things you should research before you copy them!

- “The ‘landscapers’ do it every year.” The term landscaper is used very loosely. Check their certifications and ask for them to produce their techniques from a reputable source.

- “The dang thing gets way too big!” You planted the wrong crape myrtle. There are many smaller cultivars out there that grow to a height of twelve feet or less.

Finally, a word to the wives. The minute football season ends next year treat your husband to a drag race, strong man competition, or game of extreme welding. Do not let him near the saws or loppers! Call the professional.

Tom Kniezewski

Account Manger

Sunrise Landscape + Design

Proper Mulching: This is Very Important in Successful Landscape Management!!!

2011-03-07T16:46:00.000-05:00

Proper Mulching
I have been in the landscaping industry for over 25 years and it never ceases to amaze me how companies that call themselves "professionals" still cannot mulch properly. If you see piles of mulch, also known as "mulch volcanos" you should question the knowledge of those individuals, their training etc. Over mulching can cause some serious long term problems to your landscape. Especially trees. This is one of my "pet peaves" as a professional. Click here for a great link from "Over Mulching" by Diane Relf from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. Great insight on the effects from overmulching. I believe it is also available in Spanish.
Sometimes you still end up with trees that have piles of mulch around them. If overmulching has been going on for a long time; the roots begin to grow in this mulch layer and it becomes more difficult over time to get these piles down. In extreme cases you may need to cut out some of the actual roots away from the tree. This is not something that just anyone should do and it may not be worth doing as you can cause more harm to the tree than good. That is why the initial planting of trees and the relationship of the root flare to the existing grade is so critical.
Professional landscapers know this! In fact many trees are actually grown with the root flare to deep and we have to remove soil from the rootball. As a point of refereence, if you ever walk into the woods and look at the trees naturally growing there you can usually see there root flare right as the soil and base of the tree meet. Usually after the first year of planting you may even want to remove any excess soil that was piled on the perimeter of the planting hole which is typically done if the soil settles around the area between where the rootball and the outer region of the actual hole. This soil should be removed, sadly this excess soil is often left and this is where the "mulch volcano" begins.
If you are not sure if your trees were planted correctly give us a call here at Sunrise Landscape + Design. Whether you live in Herndon, Reston, Great Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg or any of the surrounding areas it is important to make sure your trees live a long healthy life. And we want to help. Remember properly planted trees add value to your property, poorly planted trees can actually bring down your property value or cause great headaches as the landscape matures. As they say "You can pay me now (to add value to your property) or pay me later (to remove the problems someone else did not appreciate). It is your choice!
Thanks
Joe

Buying Local: What it means to you!

2011-02-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

Here’s some information I came across in a recent edition of Lawn and Landscape magazine. I think it’s some excellent information.
Boosting the local economy!!

Buy local. Though certainly not a new idea, supporting local businesses has received a push from a national movement of independent business owners that have formed Independent We Stand to educate their communities on the benefits of shopping at neighborhood stores. Independent We Stand is funded in part by STIHL.

The movement uses recent surveys to break down the benefits of buying from local businesses. According to the group:

If you spend $100 at an independent business, $68 returns to the local community. Spending the same amount at a national chain equates to $43 back to the community.

Small businesses create 75 percent of all new jobs and half the non-farm private gross domestic product.

Locally owned businesses reinvest in its communities economy at a 60 percent higher rate than chains and Internet retailers.

Locally owned and operated businesses provide higher-paying jobs.

Finally, more tax dollars are reinvested in the community to fund essentials such as schools, fire and police and road improvements.

“This project began as a way to inform friends and neighbors on one of the best ways to revive our economy: buy local,” says Bill Brunelle, spokesperson for Independent We Stand.

“Buying products and services from people who work and live in your town means more money goes back to your local area,” he says.

With all of that being said. "If you have the chance to buy from a local company rather than a national company the choice is obvious.

Sunrise Landscape + Design Is a local company; We care about the community and we give back in many different ways.

Joe

"Sunrise one of four companies to receive Sustainability Award Nationwide"

2011-02-01T16:51:00.000-05:00

Sunrise Landscape + Design was one of four companies nationwide to receive a "Sustainable Company Award" from the Professional Landcare Network. We were recognized for our efforts to protect and conserve resources, reduce waste, prevent pollution, and promote an ethic of environmental Sustainability and improvement through the use of innovative products and practices.
Sunrise Landscape + Design is proud of our efforts to participate and be a leader in "Green Movement". It is our belief that sustainability benefits everyone.
Sunrise Landscape + Design has a representative on the Loudoun Chamber of Commerece's "Green Team" which oversees the Loudoun Business Challenge. The Loudoun Business Challenge which encourages, promotes and recognizes businesses in Loudoun County that use sustainability and green practices in their businesses is helping to build awareness of how sustainability can benefit the community and even improve your businesses bottom line.
Is your business, home or community making an effort to improve the environment by practicing sustainability? I would love to hear some of the examples of what you do.

Joe

Watch for project updates!

2010-12-31T09:29:00.002-05:00

Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for project updates and the install process.
We will focus on the actual install challenges that we overcome to make a sucess out of the project. Also it will give us a chance to highlight some of our work.

Customer regrets

2010-12-01T13:03:00.000-05:00

Occasionally customers will give us feedback on the quality of our work and how pleased they are with our efforts and the end results. Landscaping as a job can give you some great satisfaction when the project is completed.
The other day I received an eye opening email from a former customer who decided they wanted to save some money and went with another company or alledged "landscape professionals" that were recommended. The email was basically an apology about questioning our pricing and not putting stock in what it takes to get some of the work done. It went on to explain the nightmare of having to have the other company rebuild a wall several times to get it right and not completing the work in a timely manner. They went on to say they now had a good understanding of the difficulty of the work and why it cost what it cost and they would never question our pricing again.
While this is satisfying in the short term, we would prefer to have any and all of our customers just appreciate what we do and ask question if they don't understand what it takes to do a complete and professional job.
Alot of what we do is a combination of artistry, experience, skill, and knowledge all put together to come up with not only an aesthetically pleasing landscape but one that will function many years to come. I encourage anyone looking to hire a landscaper to go off recommendations and ask questions. Make sure you understand what is involved in your particular job. even if you don't fully understand what is going on it can not only enlighten you to what it takes to do the work but will give you an appreciation of the value you are getting along with the confidence you have made the right choice in having the work done. Real professionals will take the time to explain the process of what is being done. We love what we do and work to have our customers a part of their project.

Certifications and education are two key elements in choosing a landscape professional

2010-12-01T12:47:00.000-05:00

If you are searching for a qualified landscape professional to maintain your existing landscape or create a new one you should always find out about the people who own the company, who train the crews and supervise the work. They should have professional certifications, college degrees or some education that shows there knowledge to get the job done efficiently and with the highest quality. Remember cost is relative to value. If you don't value your landscape then I guess it does not matter how it is done and who does it. If it is all about money then I could send someone over with a chainsaw to cut your shrubs back because you saved $100. If you just want some bushes planted in front of your house with no concern of what the plant will look like in a few years then I am sure you will get a "deal". Most people don't realize that someone with years of education and experience will think about the right plant for that location. A common mistake I see all the time is a small evergreen tree planted on the front corner of the house. Aesthetically when the plant goes in it looks good. Over time the homeowner finds out it was planted too close to the house or it is just too large for the space. The result is now the tree has to be severly pruned to fit the spot or removed because it may cause damage if left unchecked. Cost to remove large tree; several hundred dollars and now no tree to fill in a mature landscape. Plus you will have to find something new to match the existing plants, several hundred dollars more. Ouch $$$$!!!! If you had hired a trained, educated professional from the start you may have paid a few more dollars, but you would have had a plan. The right plant for the right place as well as a home that has a proportional landscape with curb appeal, will add value to the selling price of the house. All in all a wise investment when using trained professionals.

Understanding the value of landscaping

2010-07-26T09:20:00.000-04:00

I meet with customers everyday. Some of them really understand the value of a well maintained landscape, others clearly do not. For example I went to someone's home to do an estimate. Sunrise had never worked with this customer before. It was clear that they had spent some money to get a descent landscape installed, their was a variety of quality plant selections, they had a paver patio put in and the design was solid. However there were weeds everywhere in the beds, no pruning had been done and the landscape needed help. Their solution was to ask me to give them a price to put "concrete" in the beds or some kind of rock (gravel) in the beds to prevent the weeds from coming up in the future.
I often get the same request to put fabric down in the mulch beds to prevent the weeds, which I do not recommend, typically it can cause more problems than it is worth. Getting back to the customer request, I went on to ask some more questions and it was clear the customer was not making any effort to pull the weeds, prune the shrubs or do any maintenance at all as they did not have time and I could see really they did not have the passion or desire to work out in the yard. Which I know is very difficult when temperatures are in the 90's. He did want his landscape to look good and did not want to offend his neighbors by not keeping his landscape looking good and therefore dropping the value of the homes in the neighborhood. This is not a problem but they needed to understand that a little maintenance can go a long way in improving the appearance of their home and preserving the quality of what they had invested in their original landscape. Here at Sunrise landscape and design we make every effort to help educate the customer on the value of maintaining your investment of landscaping.
The solution for this customer is not to spend more money , unnessarily in this case on stone or some other material to solve their problems, but instead to invest in some maintenance services. At Sunrise landscape + design we perform what are called "garden visits" where we send out a crew, usually biweekly to pull and treat weeds, do basic pruning and clean up any trash or excesive debris. And to supplement those visits we perform more extensive prunings at the appropriate times based on the plants cultural requirements and the appearance of the landscape.
This will solve several problems for the customer: 1)Overall appearance of the landscape will be greatly improved. 2) They will not have to worry about doing the work, investing in tools, equipment, fertilizers and weed controls. 3)By having this work done by professionals their yard will look well maintained and their property value will be as high if not higher than most of their neighbors. 4) Profesionally trained landscapers can make sound plant recommendations that will help build value rather than wasting money on improper plant choices for certain situations that can cause you to spend more money to correct a problem that could have been easily avoided.
Visit our website www.sunriselandscapeanddesign.com to see some of the landscapes we maintain and Install. Then give us a call and let us show you how we can help take the worry out of maintaining your landscape.

Landscape Myths vs. Reality

2010-04-18T21:36:00.001-04:00

Myths of landscape maintenance

1) Myth: Spring cleanups can be done by just anyone. All you have to do is spread some mulch around and rake up some leaves and you are done.
Reality: There are several things that should be done during the clean up and mulching that not only are more aesthetic but help improve the long term health of your landscape. Excess mulch should be removed from beds and especially around the base of trees and shrubs. All beds should be edged to define the beds and show the distinction between turf and planting areas. Also certain plants should be cut back during this process and dead foliage should be removed. Mulching should be spread evenly in open bed areas and sparingly around trees and plants.

2) Myth: Pruning can be done at anytime with shears or whatever tools you have.
Reality: Pruning of certain plants can impact the health of the plant as well as remove interesting features the plant may have such as flowers. There are also many different tools used in pruning. When pruning trees especially it is important to use the proper tools to make the proper cuts so that the health of the tree is maintained. While shearing is sometimes an acceptable practice to certain plants it is not for every plant and using the proper tool in the proper way can make a big difference in the overall health and appearance of the plants.

3) Myth: Installation of plants can only be done in the spring and fall, not into the summer.
Reality: Most plants that come from the nursery can be planted during the summer and into the winter depending upon the type of plant. Summer especially is a good time to install most all plants. While you will have to water more often in the heat of the summer, the plants will be actively growing and establishing their root system and will be heartier going into the winter months. And since some trees and shrubs have already been dug from the field, it is better to get them in the ground and let them grow rather than sit in the nursery.

4) Myth: You have to wait until September before you can plant grass seed.
Reality: You can start sowing seed for turf in the early to mid August. Especially with aeration or slitseeding the seed will get a head start in being established. You can usually seed thru the month of October with good results. However the later you wait the longer it takes for the seed to germinate. And once the soil temperature falls below 55 degrees I would stop even trying. One of the most important things in establishment with seed is creating good seed to soil contact.

5) Myth: Leaf clean up can wait until spring:
Reality: While not every single leaf must be removed in bed areas, it is important to remove leaves from the turf. Leaves can actually smoother the turf over time, and eventually kill it. In planting beds some leaves is okay, however they should not totally cover certain woody plants. Leaves in large quantities are more detrimental than beneficial to most plants. If certain plants need to be covered I would suggest using mulch or straw that will allow moisture to reach the roots of the plant.

6) Myth: Fertilization is a waste of time and is detrimental to the environment.
Reality: While excess fertilizer can cause certain problems, a well managed fertilization and weed control program is actually more beneficial to the environment for several reasons: 1) Healthy turf helps filter dirt and dust from the air. 2) Healthy turf converts carbon dioxide to oxygen 3) Healthy turf also has a cooling effect. Unhealthy of turf that is not taken care of can actually have the reverse effect and cause more or worse problems in the long run by allowing erosion and other issues.

Do you have any questions about certain myths or landscape practices?
Maybe I can help set the record straight. Call 703-544-0028 and ask for Joe.

We fix cheap landscapes!

2010-03-23T22:10:00.000-04:00

Have you tried a cheaper landscaper and they botched the job?
We are often called out to see if we can fix or finish a job that some other "landscaper" started and could not finish or just did not know what they are doing. It really does pay to hire a true professional when it comes to landscaping. Professionally trained and educated designers can choose the right plant for the right place. We also can provide the expertise on proper installation of hardscaping such as pavers and retaining walls. We are professionally certified to perform these types of jobs, our crews are trained and operate to certain safety standards. If you don't use someone that is credible, has the proper training and certifications, you are rolling the dice. Sure it may be cheaper, but is it really?

If you hire someone and they perform the task and it fails after the first year who is going to pay and how much are you willing to pay to get it fixed? It could cost you double! For example you have a paver driveway installed and the person(s) you hired did not know what they were doing and only put down a minimal amount of base material. A year later you have ruts in your driveway and the guy you hired is out of business. To fix this problem I would need to pull up the pavers, excavate existing materials down to the proper depth and start the process all over again. In essence you will be paying double or even more to get this corrected. If you do not fix it your property value will decline and you have some liability issues to consider.

We have the expertise and resources to fix what the other guy couldn't do correctly the first time.
Call Sunrise landscape + design (703-544-0028) today for a free consultation to see if we can help.

"We fix cheap Landscapes!!!!!!!"

Shameless self promotion of Sunrise landscape + design

2010-03-06T11:28:00.000-05:00

I will admit my reason for this blog is to promote my company Sunrise landscape + design formerly Sunrise Lawn/Landscaping Services, Inc.
The other reason I do this is to inform the public about the challenges we as professionals face in dealing with clients, issues we run up against in the field and just some things to consider in your own landscape here in the Northern VA area.
Since we are in what most landscaing experts term a "transition zone", basically we have some of the extreme cold of the north to some of the extreme heat and humidity from the south. This poses a challenge to growing certain species of plants and turf. Alot of consumers don't comprehend the effect climate has on how well plants grow. Hopefully some of these posts will address and make some of those issues clear. One great example of this is hemlock trees. The heat here is just too much in most cases and the plants are constantly stressed which makes them more susceptible to pests and diseases.

I will always recommend hiring professionals to perform the design and the work. That does not mean you as the consumer can't have input. That is the great thing about working with Professionals. We can take your ideas and make sure they will work in reality. We can bring up things you may not have thought about such as drainage and how it is impacted when you install a retaining wall or patio.

We love working with clients that have an idea of what they want and just need some help implementing it. Give us a call 703-544-0028 to help you get the value and the most out of your property.

Protect your plants from further snow damage

2010-02-15T15:56:00.004-05:00

With all of the snow we have had plants have been taking a beating!
Here are just a few suggestions:
-Get any frozen snow off of the branches. Careful not to damage the branches when removing the snow.
-Dig out branches that have been pulled down into the snow. As the snow melts it can potentially do more damage by pulling the branches down even more causing them to break.
-Stake and or wrap shrubs that are drooping or leaning. Careful not to damage the branches any further as they are very brittle.
-Any branches that are broken or partially broken will in all likelyhood need to be removed by pruning. Some plants can be tied back up if the break is not to severe.
If you think there is a chance then try it, the worse that can happen is you prune it off later.
-Do not wait to do these tasks as more snow falls and even melting occurs it could make things worse.

Remember there are many professionals who can help if you aren't sure. And yes it may cost you a few dollars, but if you do nothing it may cost even more, not to mention the aesthetics to your landscape.

If you are located in Virginia in Western Fairfax County or Eastern Loudoun County give us a call here at Sunrise landscape + design (703-544-0028) we can help your landscape.

Landscaping and the economy

2008-12-31T15:57:00.000-05:00

Landscaping in the Northern Virginia area is always interesting. The economy is typically more stabil than the rest of the country but this is the worst I have seen it in my 25 plus years. With that being said, I want to encourage people to not participate in the constant doom and gloom from the media. Think about the benefits of a well done landscape and spread the word. Employ a professional landscaper today. Even though it is winter we can still plan for the spring. Have one of our designers draw a plan to implement later this year when you can. or do some of the work while the weather will allow and save some money. We are offering discounted prices on most of the work we are doing. If you are thinking about landscaping in the spring how does this economy change your outlook? I would like to know. How could I get you as a consumer to do some work with us?

Proper Mulching

2008-03-20T08:21:00.005-04:00

I have been in the landscaping industry for over 25 years and it never ceases to amaze me how companies that call themselves "professionals" still cannot mulch properly. If you see piles of mulch, also known as "mulch volcanos" you should question the knowledge of those individuals, their training etc. Over mulching can cause some serious long term problems to your landscape. Especially trees. This is one of my "pet peaves" as a professional. Click here for a great link from "Over Mulching" by Diane Relf from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service.
Great insight on the effects from overmulching. I believe it is also available in Spanish.