May 2014 Edition of Linda's Corner

Flowers!

May is my favorite month for flowers. With an abundance of assorted colors to choose from, the right combination can really make your yard "POP". Remaining aware of bloom times for annuals and perennials will allow you to enjoy vibrant color all summer long. A few easy maintenance tips can mean all the difference between dull, weak plants and bright, thriving plants.

• "Dead-head" annuals to allow space for new flowers. Removing finished blooms will enable the plant to concentrate all it's energy on pushing new buds.
• Dig and divide early blooming perennials immediately after flowering if desired.
• Move house plants outdoors only after night temps are consistently above
  50-60 degrees F.
• Prune early Spring flowering shrubs after bloom to assure a healthy full bloom
  for next year.
• Be conscious of where you are planting sun thriving or shade loving plants. As temps increase this becomes more of a factor.
• When planting both annuals and perennials, loosen up the root ball before planting to encourage immediate root growth.

While I concentrate a large portion of my time and energy on my plants, I never forget about my lawn. Nothing makes a property look better than a think healthy green lawn. May is a good time to fertilize your lawn and apply a crab grass pre-emergent if  you had problems in the past. Tackling weeds early will lead to an easier, more inexpensive solution. Keeping a regular cutting schedule is key to having a beautiful lawn.

Best Trees and Plants for Privacy

Are you looking for more privacy in your yard but you really don't want a fence. Go for a natural approach. There are lots of choices and benefits to planting a hedge:

• Privacy from neighbors and street traffic
• Reduction in noise
• Protection from harsh winds

Evergreens come in a vast variety of species, some growing slow or fast, tall or low and can be shaped and pruned to specific shapes and sizes. Some popular choices are:

• Leland Cypress (Deer resistant)
• Green Giant Arborvitae - fast growing and can grow up to 60' (Deer resistant)
• Emerald Arborvitae grows 10' to 15'

Some people prefer to have natural privacy fencing that offers color, fragrance and the opportunity to bring flowers indoors for arrangements. If that sounds like you, you may want Rose of Sharon. These can grow to heights of 8' to 10' and when planted in a row, they develop into a dense privacy screen covered in flowers. They come in varieties with blue, white, pink or lavender flowers. Other plants that are popular are lilacs which can grow up to 15' tall and 6' to 12' ft. wide. Their flowers can be white, pink, purple or magenta. Another favorite and commonly used plant is Forsythia and a personal favorite is Hydrangea which also come in a variety of colors.

Ornamental grasses also make a great alternative. They can grow anywhere from 1' to 9'  tall depending on the variety. Most bloom in mid summer. They are an easy care, low maintenance choice that also offers flowers you can cut and bring indoors. Some species though can be invasive.

Call us if you need more privacy in your yard.
We'll help you decide which works best for you and your location - 908-834-2675.

News from Glenn - Our Agronomics Expert

Weeds

Due to the weather we've been having, weeds are coming up later than usual, especially Dandelions. If you're currently a customer, please be patient, we are making our rounds. If you're not a lawn care customer and see weeds in your lawn, give us a call at
908-834-2675.

Weather and How It Affects Your Landscaping

People often notice what is going on with trees and shrubs above ground but not a lot of attention goes into what is going on beneath the ground. Weather patterns can really have an impact with root systems. According to the Bartlett Tree Experts, the heavy rains in 2013 saturated soils and caused many trees and shrubs to experience root rot. This made them more vulnerable to winter cold. The fall drought also had an impact on the root systems. According to the Bartlett Tree Experts, the trees and shrubs that have been affected the most this year are:

• Japanese Maples
• Rhododendron and Azalea
• Arborvitae
• Holly
• Flowering Cherry
• Boxwood
• Juniper and Taxus
• Leland Cypress
• All Laurels

Maple Trees
If you have maple trees in your yard, the seed pods are bursting right now. There is no way to prevent this with chemical applications. When you see small Maple seedlings growing, the best way to keep them from developing into trees is to mow them down very short as soon as you see them. You want to make sure to get the leaves.

Crape Myrtles
Due weather conditions these trees have been leafing out late. Be patient, you will see leaves soon.

Truesdale Landscaping is Expanding into Warren!

We just love our new location at 51 Stirling Rd. Currently we are offering a DELIVERY ONLY service of bulk landscaping products but in 2015 we'll be a full service nursery.

We are now offering BULK LANDSCAPING products that include:
TOP SOIL (Jersey Brown Soil and Black Compost Soil) MULCH (Red, Black & Brown and Cedar)RUBBER PLAYGROUND MULCH (Cocoa Brown & Forest Green) andSTONE PRODUCTS (3/4" Clean Stone, Road Blend, 3/4" River Rock, 1/3" River Rock, 3/8" River Rock, 3/4" Red Stone, Quarry Process Stone, Dust and Sand).

Call today to set up Delivery of
BULK MATERIALS at 908-577-2516

What's New At Truesdale's Plainfield Nursery in 2014?

NEW MANAGER, NEW PRODUCTS
and more!
 

Our Plainfield Nursery is open once again to supply the surrounding areas with everything you'll need to enjoy gardening this Spring and Summer. We offer a wide variety of Annuals and Perennials, Trees, Shrubs, vegetables, etc. We'll be carrying new items this year so you'll want to stop by often and take a look . . .

We're now offering BULK LANDSCAPING products that include:  TOP SOIL (Jersey Brown Soil and Black Compost Soil), MULCH (Red, Black & Brown and Cedar), RUBBER PLAYGROUND MULCH (Cocoa Brown & Forest Green) and STONE PRODUCTS (3/4" Clean Stone, Road Blend, 3/4" River Rock, 1/3" River Rock, 3/8" River Rock, 3/4" Red Stone, Quarry Process Stone, Dust and Sand).

Our new manager is Master Gardener, Linda Dinizo. She's available to answer all of your questions and has vast knowledge to share. Linda is often requested by our landscaping clients to provide input on what flowers and plants will work best and, when she is finished, our clients rave at the results . . . her mixtures of plantings are always stunning! 

We're located at 1375 South Ave. in Plainfield, right next to the Dairy Queen. 

Call us at 908-577-1516 or email us at Nursery@TruesdaleLandscaping.com.

APRIL FLOWER OF THE MONTH - Marigolds

GORGEOUS & FUNCTIONAL TOO!

Marigolds like full sun. They come in beautiful bright orange and yellow and bloom during the Spring, Summer and Fall. The reason why they are so popular is because they add that pop of color in your gardens for a long time. 

Did you know that there are some 50 species of Marigolds? African or American Marigolds are the tallest & grow 3 to 5 feet! French Marigolds are smaller and grow from 6 inches to 2 ft. tall. Their flowers are small and come in red, yellow, gold and orange. Their blooms are diverse: single bloom, carnation, crested bloom and Anemone bloom.

Enjoy these flowers throughout the warm weather.

After the blossoms have bloomed and die off, remove the dead heads for continuous blooming. Marigolds are easy to grow because they actually bloom better in poor soil so they need very little care. These flowers look great in pots and are ideal as companion plants in vegetable gardens. Their scent repels animals and insects and their root system repels microscopic worms and other pests for up to 3 years! 

We'll be getting our Annuals in next week and plan on carrying Marigolds at our Nursery in Plainfield. When you're ready to start planting, adding these beautiful yellow and orange flowers are a great place to start!

 CALL US AT 908-577-2516

Landscaping Increases Value of Your Home

Are you selling your home in the near future? Sellers often overlook the importance of a home's curb appeal. Too often they are busy fixing up the inside that they forget to stage the outside. After all, that is the home buyer's first impression. You want it to be a good one. 

Research shows that in 2103, only 49% of home sellers realized that landscape improvements could help bring about a quick sale at a good return on their investment. 71% of home buyers feel that curb appeal is very important. If they don't like the way a property looks from the front, they often don't want to go inside.  

A landscaping investment could potentially increase the value of your home by 12-20%. Spending as little as 5% of your home's value on landscaping may get a return of as much as 150-200% of the amount you invested. These figures rival the return on a new kitchen or bathroom!  

Most people today look at the outside as an extension to their home's living space. There is a desire to spend more free time together outdoors. Making the outdoors inviting, with patios, beautiful gardens, etc. will not only be a joy while living in a home but will be a real asset when it's time to sell.

The biggest mistake that homeowners make is a piecemeal approach to their landscaping. Projects are done here and there without an overall, cohesive plan. Everything doesn't have to be done at once but a great overall design of your yard actually saves you from the pitfalls of a hodgepodge look that can give property a disorganized feel.

If you're thinking of selling in the short term, call us to stage the exterior of your home. Whether it's removing overgrown plants, replacing dead shrubs, taking out items obscuring windows, updating walkways or front stoops, Truesdale Landscaping can help.

Updating or adding to existing landscapes can make
all the difference so call us today - 908-834-2675.