Forcing Spring’s Hand

 

After the long snowy winter we have experienced this year, most of us are more than ready for spring to arrive.  The recent rains and warmer weather have melted most of the snow away and the Daffodil bulbs are beginning to emerge from the wet ground.  One way to speed up the arrival of spring is to ‘force’  spring flowering trees and shrubs to bloom indoors.

Forcing spring blooms is extremely easy to do and the reward is well worth the little time it takes.  All you need to do is use a pair of pruning shears to snip off some branches from your favorite spring blooming tree or shrub. Cut the branches just above a bud so you don’t leave a stub behind. Take branches from different parts of the plant so you don’t create a hole in the plants structure.

Once you have gathered your branches, bring them inside and cut them to an appropriate length for displaying in a vase. Cut a one to three inch slit or crush the bottom of each branch to encourage them to take up water. Now arrange the branches in a vase filled with warm water and leave it in a 60-70 degree room, out of direct sun light.  In one to three weeks you should start to see the flower buds opening. Change the water every few days for a longer lasting display.

Below is a list of good candidates for forcing blooms indoors:

Cercis Canadensis               Redbud
Chaenomeles spp                Japanese or Flowering Quince
Cornus florida                        Flowering Dogwood
Hamamelis vernalis              Vernal Witch Hazel
Crataegus spp                      Hawthorn
Forsythis spp                         Forsythia
Lonicera spp                         Honeysuckle
Magnolia soulangiana          Saucer Magnolia
Magnolia stellata                   Star Magnolia
Malus spp                              Apple and Crabapple
Prunus spp                             Flowering Almond, Cherry & Plum
Salix caprea                          European Pussy Willow
Spiraea spp                           Spirea
Syringa spp                           Lilac
Viburnum spp                        Viburnum

Old Growth

Trees are valuable things that we should all treasure. Thoughtfully placed trees provide energy savings as their shade cools in summer and lessen heat loss in winter. Trees lessen the effects of stormwater runoff allowing more rainfall to infiltrate the soil and recharge the water table. Trees also improve air quality and perform carbon sequestration through the process of photosynthesis. Trees do all this and increase the value of our property all while providing us with ever changing beauty from season to season

Have you ever wondered how old those trees in your yard are? When a tree is cut down you can pretty accurately determine its age by counting the number of growth rings it has.  Each growth ring is made up of a layer of light colored early wood, which was grown during the spring, and darker layer of latewood. Each growth ring represents one year of growth. Estimating the age of living trees, however, is far from an exact science. As you have seen, if you have ever closely examined the growth rings of a mature tree, the rate of growth varies from one year to the next due to the unique environmental and weather conditions the tree faced in any given year. In years with abundant rainfall a tree will put on more girth and have larger growth rings than in years of drought. One method which will give you a pretty good idea as to a trees age, without having to cut it down, is the DBH method (Diameter at Breast Height)

1. Get a tape measure and measure the circumference of the tree, in inches, at chest height (approximately 4 ½’ from the ground)

2. Divide the trees circumference in inches by 3.14 (Pi) to determine the diameter.

3. Multiply the trees diameter by the “growth factor” for the type of tree to determine the trees approximate age.

The “growth factor” represents how long it takes for a tree to put on one inch in diameter. This factor is the fuzzy part of the equation since the site and weather conditions of a particular tree will influence the accuracy of the estimated growth factor.

The “growth factor” for a Red Oak tree is 4.0. So if the circumference of a Red Oak is 74” the estimated age of the tree is over 90 years old!

74 / 3.14 = 23.57

23.57 * 4 = 94.28

Follow this link to find the “growth factor” for other types of trees.  http://tinyurl.com/47zu8q3

Go ahead! Get outside and measure some of the trees in your neighborhood. How long did it take for them to reach those majestic heights? I think you will agree that mature trees are indeed valuable treasures which we should recognize and enjoy.

Why Winter Mulch?

 Most people know about the many benefits of mulching planting beds during the spring and summer. Not only does mulch provide a neat, well tended appearance to your landscaping, it also suppresses weeds and helps plants retain moisture during the heat of summer. Fewer people are aware of the benefits of applying mulch in late fall or early winter. Just like it does in the summer, applying mulch to your planting beds at the end of the fall will help conifers and broad-leafed evergreens retain as much moisture as possible before the ground freezes, thus increasing their chances of surviving a harsh winter. Perennials and roses especially will benefit from the protection of mulch over the winter. It is also much easier to install the mulch while perennials are dormant.

 The primary reason to apply mulch in the late fall is to moderate soil temperatures. Fluctuating air temperatures, which rise during the day and drop at night, will cause unprotected soil to constantly freeze and thaw. This constant cycle of freezing and thawing may cause “frost heave” which is when plant roots are pushed up out of the ground where they will dry out and may be damaged by extreme cold air temperatures. Snow cover does provide effective insulation to lessen the effects of fluctuating temperature. The only problem is that snow is unpredictable and in our part of the country we rarely have snow cover the entire winter. Mulch works just as well to insulate the soil and protect shallow plant roots. The mulch will not decompose over the winter because it is too cold, so in the spring you will have a jump on the weeds. Moderating the soil temperature will also discourage plants from coming out of dormancy too early in the spring which can damage spring blooms or new growth.

 Anytime you are applying mulch it is important not to put too much mulch around the stems or trunks of plants. Doing so can encourage irreversible damage from disease which may eventually kill the tree or shrub. Excessive mulch against stems and trunks  will also provide an ideal home for mice. The mice may then “girdle” the plants which means they may chew off the bark and cambium layer severely damaging or killing the plant. Simply pull the mulch away from stems and trunks when you are finished mulching and your plants will be well prepared for the coming winter season.

Gutter cleaning

The fall season is here and it’s time to think about gutter cleaning. Whether your home is large or small, Martoccia Landscape Services Inc. can clean your gutters. We recommended that your gutters are cleaned twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall after the majority of the leaves have fallen. In some cases additional cleanings may be necessary. We remove all leaves and debris from the roof, gutters and downspouts. Then we will flush the downspouts out as needed with water from a garden hose and use a leaf blower as needed to assist with the clean up. Finally we will check to make sure the gutters are secured tightly to the house and suggest any repairs that should made. While we are on your roof we can also examine the condition of the roof shingles and will let you know if we see something that doesn’t look right. Regular gutter cleaning is the best way to prevent water damage to your home. Martoccia Landscape Services gutter cleaning service gives you the piece of mind that your gutters will be properly cleaned and downspouts thoroughly flushed. Spend a little now to keep them clean or you could end up spending a lot more for repairs if your gutters are not maintained properly.

What to look for

Most houses are designed to have the gutters and leaders divert rain water away from your foundation. The best scenario is when your gutter leaders are connected to underground pipes that carry water a safe distance away from your home. In some cases your gutter leader pipes may empty water directly at the base of your foundation or maybe onto a splash block. This may be acceptable if there is proper pitch away from your foundation and the rain water naturally drains far enough away from your home not to be an issue. It can be a major problem if the rain water collects and pools up along your foundation. If you live in a newer home or have an addition, it is not uncommon for the ground to significantly settle along the foundation a year or two after construction creating a low area for water to collect and seep into the ground. It is very important to check along your foundation for low points and add soil as needed to achieve a positive pitch away from the foundation. Moisture in a structure’s foundation leads to exterior cracks in the brick and mortar, which can lead to extensive structural damage of your property. In most cases we can connect your gutter leaders into underground pipes that carry rain water a safe distance away from your house and outlet into a lower area in your yard or into the street or storm drain. In some cases when the topography does not provide a lower elevation to direct drain pipes to, the only option is to install a drywell system that can store rain water and slowly release it back into the ground far enough away from your homes foundation.

Schedule service

Many of our customers are already on our gutter cleaning schedule.
Call or email us today to be added to our list or to confirm your gutter cleaning service.  (908)-756-1967   mls@njlandcsaping.com

Pergola installation at Union County Demonstration Garden

This September we volunteered some time to install a new garden structure at the Union County Demonstration Garden which is located near the Trailside Museum in the Watchung Reservation. The demonstration garden is maintained by members of the Union County Master Gardeners Program and is definitely worth a visit.

The pergola we installed came in kit form and is constructed of cedar. The cedar will weather to a silvery gray color and last for many years untreated. Garden structures like this one are a great way to create a focal point in a garden. They can also be used to create an area of shade, especially when climbing plants like grape or climbing hydrangea vines are trained to grow on the structure. I think climbing roses are planned for this pergola.

Hello world!

Welcome to Martoccia Landscape Services new blog! Stay tuned for exciting and informative content about designing, installing and maintaining beautiful landscapes. Thats what we love to do. We hope to share our passion here through words, photos and video.