Are The Cicadas Driving you Crazy?

The emergence of cicadas is a scary yet intriguing phenomenon. Although the rise of cicadas is only every 17 years, it is still an overwhelming event for homeowners. When the cicadas arrive they bring an unsightly and loud proof of their existence. The winged-red eyed giants congregate on trees and shrubs in mass numbers, and their exoskeletons are everywhere. The pool is a horrifying site if left uncovered and the sound of their mating calls are deafening. It is all smoke and mirrors because these creatures are harmless and they will only live for four weeks. In severe cases, the cicadas might unintentionally injure young trees, but for the most part they are harmless. Small saplings may incur enough damage that will cause the plant to die, however, Truesdale’s plants are not considered young enough to warrant worry. Truesdale will prune any minor damage when the cicadas subside. Saplings can be protected with netting or even aluminum foil; these materials will prevent the female cicadas from making slits in the delicate branches to lay eggs. Once mated the male cicada immediately dies and once the female lays eggs she also dies. Nymphs hatch from the eggs 8-10 weeks later and immediately fall to the ground and burrow into the soil. This is where the nymphs will live and develop for another 17 years. Truesdale has been around long enough to recall the emergence several times. Cicadas are obnoxious and unsightly, but they will not cause any harm to you or your property. Cicada Damage

Are Deer Eating Your Plants? Truesdale Can Help.

The deer population in New Jersey has grown to be a serious problem. Although they may be cute, deer bring a variety of pests and wreaks havoc on most vegetation. The Truesdale agronomic specialist introduced a deer program to a handful of customers last year. It was a huge success! We’re now offering the program to all customers that have pesky deer destroying their trees and plants. The program consists of a monthly deer repellent application to shrubs, trees and perennials from spring through autumn and one application of a winter repellent on hardy winter trees that will last for approximately *three months.


Some areas of concern include:

• Chatham
• Mountainside
• New Providence
• Scotch Plains
• Summit
• Watchung

Plants Most Affected

• Annuals
• Evergreens
• Hardy Shrubs
• Perennials

If the problem remains ignored, deer will continue to return to any property that provides a source of food. Remember, deer are carriers of fleas and ticks, which are carriers of diseases. Repelling deer from your property saves your plants and protects your family, and your pets.

Please call us if this is an issue or even a concern. Glenn will evaluate your property and create a program that will address the problem.

*Weather conditions may cause this application’s three-month effectiveness to fluctuate.

December Customer Appreciation: The Zierolds in Hillsborough

December Customer Appreciation: The Zierolds

 

The Zierolds live in Hillsborough, NJ. They had moved into a new development and had us work on their property. In June 2010, Ralph did computer image designs for them and upon approval, he created the landscaping, as per that design. This included the front landscape, walkway and wall.

In 2011, they asked Ralph back to plant a perimeter of trees in the back yard and also hedges. This year, they decided to finish the backyard landscaping and also add a new staircase off the back of the house and a walkway. It was a wandering walkway, using Belgard portage stone in Tan/Charcoal blend.

 

Were you satisfied with the overall work that Truesdale did?

Yes.

How did you find working with Ralph?
He was awesome - a man's man. He tells you right up front what will work and what won't. He takes your ideas, listens to them, and then turns them into reality. He is very honest. Even after we agreed with the pavers for the back patio and walkway, he had thought about it more and came back with an even better idea. He never stopped thinking about what would look best for our property.
Even after this past storm, Ralph was here in a few days staking up our trees and cleaning up our yard.

How was the office staff?
Paula was very knowledgeable on the phone. She always followed through.

How was the crew?
The crew were very clean, polite and thorough.

Is the end result what you had envisioned?
It was even more than what we had envisioned. We love it!

Is there anything our company couldn’t provide you with?
The only thing was the iron railing, but we needed a custom one and had to go to an iron works place.

How is Truesdale different from other companies you have worked with?
We like that the owner comes out at the start of the job and at each new stage. Ralph actually gets on the machine and works, too. We never felt that he sold the job and was now at the next customer. He continually kept in touch and stopped by during the process.

Any other comments you would like to share?
The computer imaging really helped us get an idea of the final product and that is what sold us. We had originally gotten an estimate from the local landscaper and it looked like everyone else's in the development. We didn't want that, we wanted a park like setting and Ralph achieved that for us. Our neighbor used him, too, and we sit on the patio together and say how much we love our patio and landscaping. Ralph did a great job!

BEFORE TRUESDALE LANDSCAPING



A BEAUTIFUL TRANFORMATION
BY TRUESDALE LANDSCAPING



 

2012 Truesdale Employee of the Year: Ray Merrill

Ray Merrill, 2012 Employee of the Year

Ray Merrill has worked at Truesdale Nursery & Landscape Services for 12 years and is this year’s Employee of the Year. Ralph Dinizo, President of Truesdale, said the reason he chose Ray this year was because of his commitment to constantly improve his knowledge and skills, the care he takes with each job, and the dedication he has shown to Truesdale.

Ray’s dedication to Truesdale’s customers is shown by the nice words they have for him:

“When I look out my window and see the Truesdale truck, I know that, by the end of the day, everything will be beautiful. And, if I see Ray, I know that every detail will be remembered and handled in an efficient way. Ray has the professional knowledge and skill needed; he goes about his job with strong, quiet and effective leadership.” – Mrs. Margaret Tunstall, Summit

“Ray has helped with the landscaping of our garden for many years. His expertise, helpfulness and friendliness have contributed to the excellent relationship we have fostered with Truesdale. We value his commitment, and look forward to working with him for many years to come.” – Mrs. Ingrid Flannery, New Providence

Ray was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and grew up in Basking Ridge. He has been working in the Horticultural Business all of his life. He had started at Wightman’s Farm and worked there for 25 years. After that, he worked for a few other growers around NJ, working with annuals and perennials, before finally finding a home at Truesdale.

Ray began his career at Truesdale assisting the Nursery’s clients and eventually he became the buyer of the Nursery stock. Ralph had noticed his skills with plants and moved Ray out of the Nursery and into the field. Now, Ray’s main job includes going to our clients and doing selective pruning and trimming of their properties. His knowledge of plants and trees is extensive. Not only can he properly prune your trees and shrubs but is able to analyze them while he is there. He notices when they are diseased and what would be necessary to treat them. He will see how the soil, moisture, and other external elements are for your plant and make suggestions or give solutions to different problems.

Not only does Ray bring all of his many years of knowledge to each of his clients, but he is an avid reader and continues to enhance his knowledge.

Ray prides himself on his honesty and has said that he tries to do the best job he can in the quickest time. He also has been amazed over the years at how many landscape companies have no insurance, no licensing, no plant knowledge and how they are not honest. He says that when you use these types of companies “eventually you will pay the cost because of the damage done and, because of that, you will lose your plants.”

He wanted me to pass on to whomever reads this article, that you should never wait too long to prune because when it is done too late, you just have to start all over. Protect your investment now.

If you want Ray to come out and evaluate your trees and shrubs, give us a call and we will send him out to meet with you. 

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.

Great Idea: Fall Planting

Did you know that fall is one of the best times to plant trees, shrubs and perennials? 

Spring might seem the best time to plant, but it can also result in a competition between roots and new shoots for water and nutrients. Because the tops of the plants are dormant and not growing during the fall and winter, they direct their energy reserves towards root growth. As a result, fall-planted trees and shrubs will have better established root systems when spring arrives, making them more able to support the new growth and foliage that comes in that season. As long as the soil temperature is above 40 degrees the roots will continue to grow. Fall planting takes advantage of favorable soil temperatures and moisture conditions that promote the root growth needed to sustain plants through their critical first year in the landscape. 

The added root growth also aids the plants during the stressful heat and drought of the summer months, potentially reducing the amount of supplemental water required to keep the plants alive. There are usually not enough roots on newly planted ornamentals to satisfy the water demand of both the shoots and leaves, and wilting may occur. This is called transplant shock and this condition requires frequent watering and diligence to prevent the plant from dying. During the fall and early winter months, the soil temperatures and moisture levels are usually in range that promote rapid root development. 

Plant health often depends on root health and, in the fall, the warm soil encourages root growth until the ground freezes. In early spring, the roots begin new growth and continue to develop before the top of the plant begins to develop leaves, flowers and new stems. This gives fall planted plants and advantage. Their roots are well-established before summer arrives and are far better equipped to deal with heat and drought. 

Most container-grown and balled and burlapped deciduous trees and shrubs are excellent candidates for fall planting. These plants usually possess well-developed root systems. 

One last point is that since people don’t think of planting in the fall and nurseries don’t have a large stock to choose from, the best buys can be found in nurseries at this time. So if you are price savvy, this is the perfect time to buy.

Email or call us today. Just to summarize, the main advantages to planting in fall are: More root growth than in spring.  Head start on Spring for establishing roots.  Moisture is less of a problem, therefore plants need less watering.  Less competition between roots and new growth.  Transplant shock is reduced.  Soil temperature is conducive to root growth.  Lower prices on nursery stock.