Blog - Page 60 of 61 - Proper Landscaping Inc.

Jun 05

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Learn about soils online for free!

By Vas Sladek | Education, Resources | No Comments

blog-class There is still time to join a free online soils course called Soils: Introducing the world beneath our feet, starting July 6, 2015, and taught by Dr. Carly Stevens from Lancaster University. It’s an online course with videos, articles, audio, discussions and assignments. Students will take part in activities that explore the soils where they live. No prerequisites or experience required, the course is open to all.

To register follow this link: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/soils

2015 also happens to be International Year of Soils! Visit www.fao.org/soils-2015/en to learn more about this precious resource.

See you in class!

May 29

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Your Safety Equipment

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights, Company News, Landscaping, Resources, Seasonal, Tips | One Comment

Safety has to be taken seriously. Employers have to comply with WCB regulations that aim to protect the health and well-being of all employees. Are the contractors you hire thinking about safety?

A) safety goggles
B) gloves
C) high visibility vest
D) water and stain resistant work pants with extra pockets
E) STIHL Landscape Pro steel-toe, lawngrips

And do NOT forget hearing protection when working with or around machines. Some companies pay for annual hearing tests.

Stay safe!

May 22

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Garden Giant Gunnera

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights, Company News, Landscaping, Resources, Seasonal, Strata Maintenance, Tips | No Comments

Gunnera manicata is one of the biggest and most spectacular herbaceous plants. It requires a lot of space and is best used as specimen plant in damp bog gardens or beside ponds.

The fat growth buds clustered in the crown are prone to frost damage so cut back the leaves in the fall and pile them over the buds for winter protection.

Picture A is from fall 2014; picture B is from spring 2015.

May 15

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Meet the Natives (Part II)

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights, Company News, Resources, Seasonal, Tips | No Comments

Let’s not forget about our native species. They’re beautiful and well adapted to our area. How many do you know?

Holodiscus discolor Ocean spray

Maianthemum dilatatum False Lily of the Valley

Acer circinatum Vine maple

Sambucus racemosa Red elderberry

Populus trichocarpa Cottonwood

May 08

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Meet the Natives….

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights, Company News, Resources, Seasonal, Strata Maintenance, Tips | No Comments

Acer macrophyllum Bigleaf maple

Lysichiton americanus Skunk cabbage

Thuja plicata Western Red Cedar

Crataegus douglasii Black hawthorn (note thorns)

Rubus spectabilis Salmonberry

May 01

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The Show Is Over….

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights, Landscaping | No Comments

Pulling spent bulbs is a pleasant seasonal garden task. Yes, sadly, the show is over but we’re making room for annuals! Tulips put on a good show, maybe two and then become erratic. It’s best to change your spring tulip display and get new ones.

Unlike tulips, the bulbs pictured below are all “re-usable”. Daffodils can be naturalized, and the blue Anemones become perennials. Hyacinths are incredibly fragrant. Plant the spent bulbs with their green stalks and cut them back when totally retracted. Another option is drying the bulbs and planting them in the fall.

Enjoy planning your display for next spring.

The show is over…..

Religiously pull every single bulb…..

A Hyacinth
B Anemone
C Daffodil

Apr 29

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Versatile Spirea japonica

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights | No Comments

This is one of my favorite shrubs. It tolerates pollution, produces beautiful tiny flowers in corymbs (flat-topped clusters), and has attractive fall leaf color.

My research showed that Spirea produced a second bloom when cut back after flowering. The picture below shows the results of my field test. The second bloom came, it just wasn’t as profuse as the first.

When the shrub looses its leaves in fall, you can cut back the stems in winter to keep the plant from outgrowing its space.

Apr 26

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Is Your Viburnum tinus Full of Holes?

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights, Landscaping, Resources, Strata Maintenance, Tips | One Comment

Healthy Vuburnum tinus are great plants with fragrant pinkish white flowers. But sometimes your plants get attacked by the Viburnum leaf beetle ( Pyrrhalta viburni) in numbers and soon all you see is tons of holes in your leaves. The larvae attack in spring and adult beetles in late summer.

Now what?

The cheapest solution is to renovate the plants by cutting them back hard at the base and waiting for new growth to emerge. A more expensive but better long-term solution is to remove the plants and plant a more suitable substitute.

Apr 22

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Urban Forests Save Lives

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights | No Comments

“Urban forests save lives” (link) was the heading of an article from The Vancouver Sun (March 24, 2015). And yet, our city trees often live short, brutal lives. They fall victim to storms, bad practices, bad design, and bad or new drivers. So let’s be mindful of the great work our urban trees do and treat them well.