March 2021

Mar 29

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Winter brush cutting

By Vas Sladek | landscape maintenance | No Comments

Ready for some labor?

This isn’t the first time I’m mentioning brush cutting in winter. It’s a perfect cold-weather task and it shows how labor-heavy landscaping can be. We might as well say it: landscapers get sweaty. If generating sweat spooks you, I would suggest a less-strenuous career path.

The day we went out brush cutting, it was nice and sunny and the goal was to level masses of prickly bramble. It’s done once a year and it’s nice to put in a full day’s work in winter.

Safety first!

The brush-cutting task itself is fairly easy. All you need is some mixed fuel (gas and oil) and protective gear. Do not skip this part. Gloves, steel-toe boots, goggles and a helmet system with face shield and ear protection are all standard equipment. Leave your shorts at home. Don’t take any chances.

Since you’re working in a wild zone, take a good look around. I spotted rebar sticking out of the ground before I even started. Sadly, the rebar ran all the way along, with gaps in-between, so I had to look out for it all day. Next year I will try to remove it or at least bend it. As it is right now, one slip could really mess you up. See the picture below.

**Always identify hazards in the landscape**.

Depending on how low you brush cut, you can expect rocks and wood to fly out. For this reason the three of us separated; and later, when got close to passersby, we paused to let them go. Safety first! Never play around.

The rest of the day was fairly monotonous. We leveled prickly bramble all day and managed to finish the entire wild bank. Given the size of the bank, bramble removal isn’t practical. We just left the shredded canes on the ground. We’ll be back in twelve months to do it again, unless the boss delegates this task to someone else. But, considering the physical nature and safety aspect of this project, this isn’t a good gig for new employees.

What I hope you take away from this blog post is the physical nature of landscaping work, the occasional monotony and the importance of safety.

When we reassembled at the back of the truck, it was clear the dudes were happy to get the bank done. They worked hard brush cutting on a winter day when not too much else could be done on site.

Mar 20

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Celebrate small wins!

By Vas Sladek | gardening, health and safety, Landscaping | No Comments

Celebrating in tough times

As the pandemic continues, it’s important to celebrate small wins. I find that I need to improve my mental health and reading newspapers doesn’t help. I didn’t find anything up-lifting in either The Globe and Mail or the Sunday New York Times today.

So, why not celebrate small, simple wins? It’s good for my own mental health and it might inspire you to celebrate your own personal wins.

Small wins

Carex

I scored small wins with sedges (Carex). In both cases I plugged up empty spaces that would otherwise go weedy. In one case, the plants were free. I salvaged them from another work project. In the other case, the owner paid hefty nursery charges. But in both cases, the sedges are thriving and expanding in their new homes! It’s a win.

Cedars

Many B&B (ball and burlap) cedars (Thuja occidentalis) don’t do well long-term in the landscape and people get frustrated. That’s because it costs money to buy and install the cedars; and often, the owners are looking for a privacy screen. Green preferably.

Growers are finding that B&B trees don’t have great roots and some are refusing to purchase them.

This may not look like much, but I planted these two cedars when they were just six feet tall. Except here the owner cares. She waters well and frequently which is exactly what the trees need to establish well in their first year.

Often, cedars don’t get the required watering because people are busy and landscapers aren’t really paid to water new installs. Except, of course, on the day of installation.

This is a huge win.

Rhodos

This Rhododendron was huge last year. So huge it towered over the rocks. Until my desperate friends called me for help. Now, with rhodos this big, there aren’t any obvious junctions to cut to so you need faith.

Faith in latent buds, that is. Rhododendrons, especially rough barked, have latent buds which pop and produce new foliage. You can see them in the picture because they’re lighter green. Smooth barked Rhododendrons may not respond as well.

I shot this picture last week and it was nice to see the new growth. I’d hate to kill my friend’s shrubs. Another win!

Herbs

This last win is close to home. My teenage daughter loves to cook but she hates touching soil and seeing bugs. That doesn’t sound like a landscaper’s daughter.

But when we got herb seeds she happily planted them on our patio. And it wasn’t just for show. She actually used parsley and cilantro in her dishes. This was another small but significant win.

I hope 2021 is going well for you! Leave comments about your own wins. I hope you score many this year.

Mar 15

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A new course for lawn care newbies

By Vas Sladek | Education, Lawn Care, Training | No Comments

Vas dares to dream

I’ve been training landscapers for many years now and I always wondered if I could make a bigger impact. So, when people struggled with basic plant identification, I put together a simple picture book to help them. It allowed me to test the Designrr software and, occasionally, I make a few dollars when the e-book sells on Amazon.

Now, lawn care is a bit trickier but since I was seeing the same mistakes over and over, it made sense to create an online course. That’s how the BC Landscape Academy was born in 2021. It’s been a fun learning experience and I’m working on other courses so it feels like a school. The second course will introduce landscapers to the most common tree species.

Students wanted

It’s not really a school without students but as the new mow season approaches, I’m hoping to get a few beta testers to test drive the course. And that includes Proper Landscaping Inc. I just have to convince the big boss James, in exchange for a huge discount.

The first course deals with the Top 5 lawn care mistakes. These mistakes happen over and over as new employees come to work at landscape companies. So, what if you could alert them to the worst five mistakes from day one? It would save costly training time in the field and could, potentially, save time and money. The well-trained newbie would know what mistakes to avoid and why. Which should make him an asset to his clients and company from day one.

I just think that the employers will have to attach some carrots to this project. Finish the course and get free snips. Or, finish the course and get a small raise.

Homeowners can benefit, too

Yes, the course is aimed at professional landscapers but homeowners will also benefit. The mistakes happen all the time. Why not check it out and get educated about proper lawn care. It’s not as simple as it appears. But the BC Landscape Academy is here to help you. Don’t repeat the same mistakes. Learn from others.

Mar 06

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Felco forever!

By Vas Sladek | Tools | No Comments

Throw away society

When snow last week kept me at home, I turned to blogging. I always have a list of blog post ideas and a folder full of clippings and articles. One of those articles came from the Vancouver Sun newspaper.

The writer commented on our throw away society and I agreed with her hundred percent. I’m as guilty as the next person. Although, I should add, that I’m changing. I signed up for an account at Return-It and ordered free sticker labels. Now all I do is attach one label to a clear garbage bag full of bottles and drop it off. No more sorting filthy bottles.

Return-It itemizes all returned bottles and deposits the money to my account. I can let it accumulate there or redeem it to straight to my chequing account.

The next step for me will be recycling old electronics and cables which are rapidly accumulating in my place as my kids turn into teenagers.

Felco forever

Now back to the Sun article. What struck me was that the writer used Felco snips as an example of a tool designed to last forever. And Felcos really do last forever. The red rubber coated handles will easily outlive me.

I did a little maintenance experiment with my Felco 2s because they are easier to dismantle. They sport just one bolt. So, I popped it, cleaned out the main surfaces and installed a brand new blade.

Then, I replaced the spring. Those are the two components that you will ever have to change. The total retail cost was about C$25 and I’m hoping to submit it as a business expense on my taxes next year.

The difference in cutting quality is noticeable. The snips make nice sharp cuts easily. So easily, I regretted not composing this blog post earlier.

Incidentally, pruning demands sharp tools. Snips, loppers and hand saws. Dull tools make poor cuts and tend to shred plant tissues. Always use sharp tools.

**Felco 2s with a brand new blade and spring**

Conclusion

Felcos are great so they’re not cheap. But the up-front C$80 cost is justified. The snips will last forever. All you have to do is replace the spring once in a while and sharpen the blade. If you choose to replace the blade, it will only set you back C$25 at your local retailer. And I believe that’s a small price to pay for beautiful pruning cuts in the field.

If you already own Felcos, maintain them well. If you’re considering buying a pair, don’t worry about the cost. The red rubber coated handles will probably outlive you.