November Customer Appreciation: The Beckers in Summit

November Customer Appreciation:
The Beckers in Summit

 

 

 

The Beckers live in Summit, NJ and are relatively new Customers of Truesdale. In 2011, they called us to help them after they did a major renovation on the front of their home. We designed and installed a beautiful landscape. They were so pleased with the outcome that, after doing renovations to the back of their home, they asked us to return and do the back yard. We finished this in the Spring of 2012.

On October 26th, we asked Andrea Becker a few questions on what she thought of the work Truesdale did and how it was dealing with all aspects of the process.

Andrea, were you satisfied with the overall work that Truesdale did?

Yes, I was.

How did you find working with Ralph?

Ralph was very knowledgeable, an old school businessman. A man with a lot of integrity. If he said that he was coming, he did. If he said that he was going to do something, he did.

How was the office staff?

Paula always responded. She is very professional and sent and answered emails on time.

How was the crew?

They were very polite, very courteous and clean. They took down a fence and delivered it down the street to my mother’s house. I was very appreciative of that.

Is the end result what you had envisioned?

Yes, beyond what we had envisioned. We are very pleased with the results.

What kind of feedback have you received?

People comment on the texture, color and mixture of the plants.

Is there anything our company couldn’t provide you with?

No, nothing.

How is Truesdale different from other companies you have worked with?

Ralph has the ability to really see the finished project and what it will look like each season. I like that the owner is involved from start to finish and is easily accessible. I also loved the before and after digital prints – that was a major reason I did the project.

Any other comments you would like to share?

Ralph is a true artist and he is painting with the landscape he does. He treats my home like it was his home. He has an innate ability to plant something different and work with the architecture of the home. He uses color and texture to create a beautiful landscape. You can’t put a price tag on creativity. I love that he was here a lot of the time and even got on the machines, when needed. 

I think it is great that most of the crew have been with Ralph for years. I highly recommend Truesdale and would never use another company.
 

Getting Ready for Winter

As we approach winter, there are quite a few things you should do to protect your property and investment. Your trees, shrubs, lawn and perennials need help and the following are a few things that you should do. Perennials – cut them back now as the plants shut down and turn brown Remove leaves from the lawn and garden. Leaves left over winter can cause damage to your lawn and perennials. They harbor diseases, can cause fungus, it hides mice and, if left on the grass, will cause it to become brown. Bulbs – plant bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinth and crocus Mulch – apply a small amount of mulch around your perennials and shrubs to insulate them from the winter frost and help them retain moisture. Water – until the ground freezes, it is good to make sure that your plants and trees have enough moisture to help them through the winter. Thoroughly soaking them once a week is recommended. Weed – if you do weed now, it stops them from developing further and gives your beds a good start for the spring. Cover – in windy areas, you will want to cover your newly planted evergreens with burlap to prevent chilling winds from drying out and causing winter burn on your plants or you can spray them with an anti-desiccant (see below) Dormant oil – use this on deciduous trees to prevent spring insect damage Anti-desiccant – spray this on your trees and shrubs to help prevent water loss during the winter Glenn Koleda, our agronomics specialist, highly recommends the Anti-desiccant to help your trees and shrubs maintain moisture during the winter months. With the ground frozen and long dry periods that occur in winter, your plants will start to dry out and get winter burn. If this happens, you will notice that their needles and leaves will start to turn brown and die. Glenn applies anti-desiccant when the daytime temperatures consist of 3 days of 35 degree daytime temperatures. This is a good time to prune back your ornamental grasses. An easy way to do this is to use a bungee cord or duct tape, wrap the cord or tape around the grass about 8” up from the base. Truesdale’s Shrub & Bed program includes us coming out the beginning of November to cut back your perennials and get your beds ready for winter. If you do not have this service, give us a call. Doing a little preventative maintenance now can help ensure the health and beauty of your landscape. Email or call us today.