Spring Landscaping Clean Ups

Seasonal landscaping clean-ups are an essential component of your landscape maintenance plan. almost PERFECT Landscaping can help with this time-consuming but very important task. Spring is a time for renewal and the perfect time for preparing your landscape for the warm summer months. Garden beds need to be cleared of any remaining vegetation and debris, bulbs transplanted , grasses cut back and perennials tended to. After the winter we just had, many of our phone calls frequently regarding spring clean up relate to damage to shrubs, which is normal and to be expected. So what caused this damage to occur?

During the cold winter months, evergreen plants continue to lose water vapor through their leaves or needles, which are in reality, modified leaves which must replenish water by absorbing it within its root system. But when the ground is frozen, the plants’ roots cannot absorb water and supply it to the leaves. During the winter we have brief warm spells and evaporation from the leaves increases and the water cannot be replaced. Discolored or “burned” foliage then may start to appear.

Often this type of winter damage may be misdiagnosed as a disease or as damage from excessively cold temperatures. In fact, winter burn typically develops during warm weather in late winter and early spring. The brown or yellowed foliage generally is on the side of the plant facing the sun and/or the side exposed to the wind, where the rate of evaporation from the needles or leaves is greatest.

Another aspect of winter’s shrub damage may be dessiccation, which can occur when evergreens are exposed to dry and cold winds. The moisture within the stems and needles are drawn out of the plant tissue causing the cells inside to break down. Plants with this wind damage have a brown shadow over the entire leaf or maybe just on portions thereof. Also the stems may be puckered and discolored.

Then there is leaf scorch that may come into play. Leaf scorch, often referred to as reflective damage can occur in plants when the portion of the plant that is not snow covered is exposed to sunlight being reflected off of the snow cover. This sunlight is intensified and can cause burns on exposed needles and/or leaf structure of evergreen plants. This usually happens towards the bottom of the plant and near the snow line.

almost PERFECT will tailor spring clean-up tasks for your budget and landscape. We offer a full range of clean-up services including mulching, edging, pruning, garden clean-up and planting. Our team of trained and experienced landscapers are ready with the knowledge and skills to prepare your landscape for the spring and summer, allowing you to enjoy the maximum growth and beauty of your landscape.

Property maintenance and landscape cleanup packages available for residential and commercial properties. Please call 201-389-6979 or e-mail us for information. On-site consultations are necessary to facilitate your request as specifications and options vary from one contract and/or property requirements to another.