Company News

Time your pruning correctly

It’s important to time your shrub pruning properly, especially with showy specimens like Hydrangea paniculata. When this hydrangea blooms, it’s an awesome show with white panicles covering the shrub. But you have to make sure the small, developing flowers don’t go missing when they’re still inconspicuous.

I witnessed one such accidental pruning earlier this summer. Dudes were talking and snipping shoots that looked out of shape. But they failed to notice the small developing flowers. By the time one of the owners noticed the deed, it was too late.

Oh well!

Now, luckily the lady was good about it. “It happens” attitude is nice to have but as a landscape manager I want my crews well trained. The lesson here is that Hydrangea paniculata should be pruned in fall, winter or early spring before flowers start developing. Once you see flowers, the shrub is off limits. Leave it alone and enjoy the show from mid-summer on.

When I examined the shrub, the developing flowers were still green and not easy to spot so the workers need to know the shrub and correct pruning time. That takes time and repetition.

I got to see the shrub in late July and, from a distance, it looked ok. But up close, you can see the incorrect cuts up top where the growth spikes would have attracted landscapers bent on controlling every shrub.

So, it’s not a complete disaster but the show is slightly diminished, which is unfortunate.

Conclusion

Be careful when you prune! Carefully consider your targets and ask yourself why you’re pruning. When you see a few spikes on top of your shrub, relax, and examine the shrub for flowers. This should be easy to do in your own garden because you know your shrubs well.

If you do mess up, then learn from it and do better in the following season. It probably isn’t a huge disaster.

Want to read more of my blogs? Click on the logo below. Leave comments!

House for sale

As a landscaper running my own side-hustle operation, I get a lot of requests for help with houses going on the market. And very few of these houses have gardens in great shape. Usually, I see lawns that are weak and cut too short, with overgrown shrubs and trees; and you see large trophy weeds everywhere.

And after twenty-six seasons in landscape maintenance you would think that I have seen it all. Wrong! There are always surprises waiting for me.

A bamboo lawn?

It started out like a normal operation. The lawn in front of the house looked long and weedy, with sweetgum tree suckers poking out from Azaleas and the open spots had weeds. Nothing I can’t handle.

Then I dropped down a set of stairs to the back lawn and I was stunned! The lawn was covered in bamboo shoots too thick to mow over. So I had to charge the owner for removing the bamboo and then mowing.

And as I was bent over the bamboo shoots, snipping them off, I kept thinking about the poor new owners. How do you even get rid of bamboo which easily crossed over from the neighbour all the way to the patio. That’s a nightmare.

I was supposed to do bi-weekly cuts while the house was on the market. But since the bamboo grows fast, I suggested weekly mows so I could just mow down the bamboo shoots. Otherwise she’d have to pay for the extra removal.

Renters did it?

Now, it’s easy to pick on renters for failing to maintain the landscaping. However, in this case it’s the owners we have to blame. The neighbours live in Asia and rent out their house. Unfortunately, somebody planted bamboo along the fence and it obviously escaped. It crossed the lawn and reached my client’s patio. So be careful when you plant bamboo: pick varieties that don’t spread.

I have no idea what the new owners will do. They have to dig up the bamboo from their lawn and somehow block it from invading again. That doesn’t sound like fun and I won’t be doing it; even if it could put my kids through college.

Ruthless tree removal

Sadly, some poorly placed trees must be removed before they get too big. This is often the case with invaders like one alder tree I removed today. I was mowing near a patio when I noticed an alder tree growing in front of a window; it was also crowding out a hydrangea shrub. Alarm bells went off in my head.

Now, I love trees and I think we should be planting more of them but this alder didn’t have a future in its current spot. All you have to do is look into the nearby wild zone to see mature alder specimens. Left alone, this alder would eventually reach over the roof.

Knock, knock

Since you can’t eliminate the possibility of homeowner planting, I did what you should always do. I knocked on the door so I could speak to the owner. The last thing you want to do is uproot a tree donated by long-deceased grandpa.

And after a few questions it became obvious that this alder was a wild invader and it wasn’t especially loved. It was time to get a sharp hand saw.

Voted off the island

Every time I remove trees or seedlings I feel bad about it, but poorly placed trees can’t be left to mature and cause problems. So I grabbed my sharp Fiskars hand saw and I took the alder tree down.

It’s best to take it down in sections, starting at the top. Since this was a small tree, I took cut it down by half. One day we’ll go back and dig up the root base. I suspect we’ll see suckers sprouting out of the base soon. Alders are fast-growing, colonizers.

Conclusion

If you discover seedlings or small trees invading inappropriate spaces, take action. I absolutely detest removing healthy trees but in these cases there is no choice. It’s better to do it early on when there is little green waste generated and chainsaws aren’t required.

Remove the invading tree and plant something else. The bed I worked in has a hydrangea shrub which should benefit from more light. And there is plenty of space for other plants.

Whoa!

I have a residential client in New Westminster whose property borders a popular municipal park. When I blow the boulevard down slope I often nudge the debris into the park and quickly walk away. But when I did that last weekend, I was in for a shock!

Right in front of me was a new native planting complete with signs and irrigation hoses. Which means that soon the debris I blow in there from the boulevard will be less visible.

Rewilding

Now, I make good coin every year from lawn care, just like Proper Landscaping, but I don’t mind seeing a chunk of municipal lawn go missing. People generally hang out lower down in the park, not this close to the road, so it’s fine.

The City of New Westminster sign explains that the long grass you see was left like that on purpose to provide habitat for insects and birds. Plus, less mowing means less pollution and the new planting will increase biodiversity. Sounds good to me.

Test your plant identification skills

Obviously, I had to finish up my client’s place before it got dark and when I did, I took a quick walk down to see the native plants. This is a great way to test your plant identification skills and learn botanical names.

I will now show you several pictures so you can test yourself. Common names are a great start but do try to learn the botanical names as well. So scroll through the pictures and see how many you know. I will give you the list at the end.

See the natives

Meet the natives

Crataegus douglasii Hawthorn (note the stiff thorns)

Betula papyrifera Paper birch

Thuja plicata Western Red Cedar

Acer circinatum Vine maple

Acer macrophyllum Big Leaf maple

Abies grandis Grand fir

Picea sitchensis Sitka spruce

Alnus rubra Red Alder (very difficult to identify from the photo)

Well?

Well how did you do? Was it easy? I didn’t recognize the paper birch but the rest was easy. If you struggled then keep working on it. You can also volunteer to do native plantings like this which is a great way to learn plants and give back to your community.

Overall, this is a nice project. We’ll have native plants growing in a corner that wasn’t much used by park visitors anyway. I just hope the lawn care technician didn’t get fired.

Ideas

This year marks my 25th season in the landscape industry! And I’ve been trying to generate ideas on how to best celebrate this milestone since late 2023.

One idea is to publish and share more original content in the form of blog posts, new and edited e-books, one new online course and more YouTube videos. Another idea is to create T-shirts and other stuff to give away to clients, supporters and friends.

More ideas

If you happen to be in the same situation or will soon be, consider some of the points below for your own celebration.

1. Reflect on Achievements:
   • Take some time to reflect on your journey in the landscape industry. Consider the projects you’ve worked on, challenges you’ve overcome, and the personal and professional growth you’ve experienced.
2. Host a Personal Retreat:
   • Treat yourself to a personal retreat or getaway to recharge and reflect. Choose a location that brings you peace and inspiration, whether it’s a nature retreat, spa weekend, or a visit to a scenic location. For example, I’m planning a trip to California to see the state’s big trees.
3. Professional Development:
   • Invest in your continued professional development. Attend a conference, workshop, or training program related to landscaping or a skill you’ve been wanting to enhance.
4. Create a Personal Garden Project:
   • Design and implement a special garden project at your home or a meaningful location. This could be a space that reflects your personal style and passion for landscaping.
5. Network and Connect:
   • Reach out to colleagues, mentors, and individuals who have been part of your journey. Arrange a casual gathering or coffee meet-up to share stories, insights, and celebrate together.
6. Document Your Journey:
   • Create a personal portfolio or scrapbook that highlights key moments, projects, and achievements throughout your 25-year career. Include photographs, project plans, and any press coverage you’ve received.
7. Host a Celebration Dinner:
   • Invite close friends, family, and colleagues to a celebratory dinner at your favorite restaurant or a special venue. Share your experiences and express gratitude for the support you’ve received.
8. Personal Branding Update:
   • Update your personal branding materials, such as your resume, LinkedIn profile, and portfolio. Showcase your 25 years of experience and the skills you’ve acquired along the way.
9. Give Back:
   • Contribute to a community project or volunteer your landscaping skills for a local cause. This is a meaningful way to celebrate your expertise while making a positive impact.
10. Professional Photoshoot:
    • Arrange for a professional photoshoot to capture your personality and expertise. Use these photos for your professional profiles, website, or promotional materials.
11. Educational Event:
    • Share your knowledge and experience by hosting a small educational event or workshop for aspiring landscapers. This could be a way to give back to the industry and inspire the next generation.
12. Celebrate with Nature:
    • Plan a day outdoors to reconnect with nature. Whether it’s hiking, camping, or simply spending time in a botanical garden, immerse yourself in the beauty that inspired your career.

2024, here we go

It’s still early in 2024 and with colder temperatures coming in a few days, I expect to have time to plan out my celebrations. It’s been quite a ride from 2000 to 2024. Stay tuned! And message me if you think of a great way to celebrate.

What a treat

Christopher Lloyd was a famous English gardener and I love his book “The well-tempered garden“. It’s by my bed and I’m constantly running out of highlighters and pencils because there is so much to underline.

When I reached the section on weeding I was super happy because here was a famous gardener telling me how he weeds.

A nightmare from years ago

Picture a large planted bed with big open spots where weeds thrive. There was maybe seven of us weeding what were essentially mats of weeds. Not big trophies or the occasional clump of weeds: I’m talking about a mat of green weeds.

Now, the foreman in charge expected us to hand weed with our fingers. No tools. I was stunned: where do I begin? Does this all end with my fingers bleeding? It was insane. I laughed but I wanted to cry. I always use tools like a cultivator or a small tomahawk. Fingers only? What the ….?

Lloyd settles it!

First, he sets the tone by saying that complaints about weeding are exaggerated. Weeding isn’t that bad.

Now, I quote “Efficient hand-weeding requires that you should get down to the task on your knees: as comfortably as possible, with a soft rubber mat and a good sharp-pointed, sharp-edged, stainless steel trowel.”

Many municipalities hand out small weeding mats but I prefer cheap knee pads because they’re attached to my knees and therefore harder to misplace. I like to use a two-sided tomahawk instead of a trowel but it’s still a hand tool.

What about the foreman we mentioned earlier with her finger weeding? Lloyd rips her up, I quote:

“You will observe that professional gardeners do all hand-weeding from a standing stooping position. They pull the weeds out (or break them off) by the hair and do not use a trowel. Their standards of weeding are mediocre….“.

And that’s proper English fit for print. Privately I could tell you exactly what their standards are. Because they break off the weeds, many of them come back quickly.

Extra notes on weeding

Use gloves if you like. It doesn’t matter because gloves don’t slow you down. I wear gloves on rainy days.

Here’s on more quote: ” I never like to weed out anything that I can’t identify. Not all seedlings are weeds.” One example from my work is Acanthus. As a baby plant without its signature flower spike, it looks like a weed because its leaf edges are spiky. When we didn’t know, we left it and later identified it. Whew. That was close.

Finally I’m happy

Now I can finally relax and laugh at the landscapers who insist that I hand-weed with my fingers. Their standards of weeding are mediocre. Amen.

First time!

It’s hilarious when after working with someone for months, I discover that they have never changed the blade on their blade edger. Blade edgers give us beautiful definition where hard edges meet lawns. I love to put one last blade edge on a site before the winter holidays because it sharpens the site look; and it will last because our lawns aren’t growing actively.

Of course, it’s difficult to put in a nice, sharp edge when your edger blade is down to a short stump. You must know how to change it. There are two important keys to this simple changeover: you must know how to stop the blade from spinning and realize that blade edger bolts loosen clockwise. That’s it!

Safety

Back when I was young and sloppy, my hand slipped on a stubborn blade and I cut the palm of my hand open. This required freezing and stitches at a nearby clinic. So wear gloves and don’t over-tighten the bolt.

Fly baby!

I love the way hard edges look after edging and blowing. Always run your blower along the entire edge to dislodge any debris. Then look back and enjoy your beautiful work.

The edge above looks great but if you look closely there is some soil on the bottom right that could be forced out with a rake. Still, not bad, thanks to your new sharp blade.

Don’t forget to teach the next new landscaper or homeowner that comes along. Be great!

Do we have a problem?

The owner of this young Dawn redwood tree (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) started panicking when his prized tree showed signs of browning. Now what? People on Facebook offered lots of advice, as they often do.

My own comments were about the tree well. I would enlarge it to keep lawn care machines away from the tree; and to allow the tree to collect water and nutrients. It’s good to keep grass away from your tree because it’s a tough competitor. Sometimes trees planted in lawns don’t thrive; all you get is status quo.

Another obvious issue is water and proper planting. Was the tree planted properly at grade and watered in? Is it getting enough water right now? Or too much?

Since the owner cuts his own grass he’s confident there hasn’t been any damage done to the tree by lawn care machines. Of course, we know well that even professionals can make mistakes.

The key?

Then one lady correctly observed that Dawn redwoods are deciduous so you can expect their needles to turn orange before dropping to the ground. Bald cypress is another evergreen that loses its needles. Which means that the owner shouldn’t be panicking. The tree is doing its thing: as fall approaches its needles start to change color. If the tree pushes out new needles next year, life is good.

Dawn redwood

According to my internet search, Dawn redwoods were first identified from fossil records. But then in the 1940s, live specimens were found in China. Today we see the trees planted in our British Columbia landscapes.

Early into my stint at my current day job company, the boss took me into a strata section and asked me to identify beautiful evergreen specimens. I didn’t skip a beat: Metasequioa glyptostroboides! Impressed, my boss and co-workers didn’t know that, purely by coincidence, I had read an article about the trees the night before. Now whenever I encounter these trees I think of this day and laugh.

If you have lots of space in your garden you can’t go wrong by planting one of these trees. The bark is beautiful. And remember, when the needles turn orange and fall to the ground you don’t have a problem. Dawn redwoods are deciduous.

RIP Jed Walters

Arborists go down every year in North America. One of my LinkedIn contacts shared this statistic: tree workers in the United States are fifteen times more likely to die on the job than workers in other industries. Sadly, Jed Walters became a statistic on January 20, 2023. We’ll get back to Jed soon but first let’s see my “redneck” tree work.

Targets everywhere

Since I was on site to do landscape maintenance, not tree work, I had to improvise a bit. Below this broken branch is a parking lot full of cars so there were too many targets for me to ignore it and walk off.

Considering the size of the branch, I had to strap it to the tree first before cutting it loose. I couldn’t be sure where it would land. And once I cut it loose, it just sat there, propped up by other branches. So, I made one more cut and the heavier top part crashed down with limited guidance from me. Even a branch this small generates huge forces. Forces large enough to kill you.

Deadly snags

Last summer, a girl from the school board showed up and cut down blown-over trees. Unfortunately, the tops broke off and lodged themselves over the fence in our maple tree. Incredibly, the girl didn’t inform us of this, I just happened to notice it later.

You can’t leave dead pieces of wood in another tree’s canopy and walk away. As soon as people walk out to enjoy their patio, they’ll become targets. So, I dislodged the loose snags and hauled them away, cursing.

Bigger scale

Jed Walters was a professional arborist with his own YouTube channel: Guilty of Treeson. Last week he was clearing away trees felled by a storm. Two fir trees had crashed into a maple so the idea was to drop the maple, which would automatically take down the firs. Except, things didn’t work out as planned.

Jed and his crew didn’t notice a snag, hanging in the maple tree. It might have been the chainsaw’s vibrations that sent it crashing down. It hit Jed in the face and killed him instantly!

So, let’s give trees and arborists lots of respect. I always encourage my readers to prune their own small trees; and to hire professionals for bigger specimens. It’s better to pay the hefty charges than to become a statistic.

Jed leaves a wife and two kids and there is a GoFundMe page set-up if you want to help.

Stay safe!

Hire an apprentice

Ok, so maybe the headline is slightly exaggerated. Hiring an apprentice will not make a landscape company boss rich, but it’s a great move. Of course, I didn’t find this out until recently. My job is to train apprentices, not to recruit them.

I recall someone asking a New Year’s resolution question in a Facebook group and one response was related to apprentices. Specifically, why weren’t landscape companies sending more apprentices to school? Good question, especially when you consider that companies can get $5,000 cash for sending a male to school for 6-8 weeks.

In a recent move, female apprentices were re-classified as “under-represented” and the cash paid to employers doubled to $10,000. Not bad at all.

Win, win

I’ve written about the apprenticeship program before but never from the employer’s angle. Obviously, anyone sent to school must be deemed a decent worker; and their commitment is much appreciated. So, everybody wins.

Yes, the worker loses a bit of cash while at school because unemployment premiums only cover a fraction of their regular pay. However, this is a small price to pay for Red Seal trade papers. I think it’s a great investment. Because I had enough work hours I was able to challenge the exam without going through all four levels. Back then I had two little kids at home and 6 weeks on unemployment scared me. Incidentally, employers prefer job candidates who have gone through all four levels. Now you know.

As for employers, they get cash up-front. Because the school sessions are in winter, the apprentices aren’t really missed in the field. Some companies even lay-off many workers between winter holidays and February.

It’s also fun to see apprentices coming back from school full of confidence. And we also know that they will make fewer mistakes in the field; and, if we’re lucky, they will share their knowledge with their co-workers.

Yeah, occasionally the schooling goes to their heads but overall, it’s very positive. All employers and employees should consider investing in the apprenticeship program. Trust me, Red Seal Vas knows!