Maintenance Guidelines
View our Maintenance Guidelines for:
Spring Maintenance Guidelines (March - May)
Leaves
Clean up any leaves left over from the fall, especially around the base of your plants.
Weeds
Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to reduce the number of annual weeds in your planting beds. Spray or pull any weeds that emerge throughout the season. (If you pull them by hand, make sure you get the roots, not just the top of the plant).
Fertilizer
Fertilize your plants early in the spring with a balanced fertilizer (14-14-14 or 10-10-10). Follow the directions for the proper application and concentration rates.
Edging
Re-edge existing planting beds to maintain a 2" v-shaped edge. This will improve the appearance, help to contain mulch, and maintain separation between the lawn and the planting beds.
Mulch
Apply additional organic mulch as necessary to maintain a 2" thickness. Do not exceed 2". Mulch helps to prevent weeds and retain soil moisture.
Watering
Newly planted material should be checked periodically for proper moisture. These plants (1-2 years old) require 1" of water per week. A simple way to check soil moisture, is to stick your finger through the mulch, into the soil 3". If the soil feels dry, water the plant. If it's wet, hold off on the water. Don't just check the soil in one place and assume that all of the plants need water or don't need water. If the plants do require watering, place a hose with a slow trickle of water at the base of each shrub for 10-15 minutes. Trees can be watered up to 30 minutes, using the same method. Normal rains should take care of the watering of established plants (older than 2 years). If you have an irrigation system, monitor it for proper functioning throughout the season.
Pruning
Spring pruning will include summer flowering trees and shrubs, broadleaf evergreens, and evergreen or deciduous hedges. Spring blooming shrubs should not be pruned until they have finished flowering. By pruning them before their bloom time, you can greatly reduce the amount of blooms on the plants. However, make sure you prune them within a month after they finish flowering. Prune needled evergreens in late spring. Pinch or cut 1/2 of the new candle growth. Cut ornamental grasses down to the ground if you didn't in the fall. You will see the green new growth starting at the base of the plant. Note: Remove any stakes from trees one year after planting.
Seasonal Color
Wait until May 1 to plant any annuals. It's a good idea to fertilize the annuals with Miracle-Gro to aid in their establishment. Follow the directions for proper application. Deadhead bulbs as flowers fade.
Summer Maintenance Guidelines (June - September)
Weeds
Continue to control weeds in the planting beds. Carefully spray them with a post-emergent herbicide. Follow product directions. Another option is to pull them out by hand. Make sure to pull the roots out too.
Water
Light summer rain showers do not provide adequate moisture for new material. Newly installed plants should be watered twice a week, using the method described previously. Check the soil moisture on established plants weekly, and water roughly every two weeks. However, overwatering can lead to oxygen deficiency in the soil, causing root injury, and eventually death. Just check the soil before adding any water. Be careful not to spray the tops of trees and shrubs in the heat of the day. It is possible to scorch the leaves. Water before noon if possible.
Pruning
There are a few things that can be pruned in the summer. Prune summer flowering shrubs as they finish blooming. Mature climbing roses can be pruned. Also, evergreen and deciduous hedges can be pruned as needed.
Disease
Monitor your plants throughout the summer for signs of disease or insect infestation. If there are signs of a damaged plant, contact LandOne or your local garden center for help.
Seasonal Color
Continue to deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage repeat bloom. Fertilize with Miracle-Gro to enhance blooms.
Autumn Maintenance Guidelines (October - December)
Leaves
Remove leaves from beds and lawn before December 1.
Weeds
Continue to control weeds in the planting beds. Carefully spray them with a post-emergent herbicide. Follow product directions. Another option is to pull them out by hand. Make sure to pull the roots out too.
Fertilizer
Fertilize trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer in early fall. Use the methods described for spring fertilizing.
Mulch
Add mulch as necessary. Do not exceed the 2" thickness. Mulch helps to maintain moisture and keep moderate soil temperature as the winter months approach.
Watering
Remember to continue watering recently planted trees and shrubs if the weather is dry to ensure good root establishment. Plants should not go into winter with dry roots. The winter sun and winds can be very hard on them. Continue watering until the first hard frost.
Pruning
Trim long rose canes. Prune deciduous trees, fruit trees, and deciduous shrubs that don't flower in the spring (remember, you can prune off the blooms for next season!). The later the better for fall pruning. Try to wait until the plants go dormant.
Seasonal Color
Plant mums to add a splash of color for the fall season. Cabbage and Kale also provide autumn color for the landscape. Cut back perennials after heavy frost, if desired. Annuals also lose their effectiveness after a hard frost. They can be removed as well.
Sod Maintenance Instructions
Sod may not survive unless it is properly cared for. Here are some directions to follow after your sod has been installed.
- It needs water immediately and constantly for the first two weeks after the sod has been laid. You can't water it enough during this two week period.
- It takes less water to maintain a wet lawn than it does for a dried one.
- It is recommended to water between the hours 6:00 am to 10:00 am. Keep in mind reflected heat off of buildings and drives will cause nearby sod areas to dry out more quickly. Water these areas more often.
- It will take about 2-3 weeks in order for the roots to get properly established. The way you can check this is by gently lifting random pieces of sod. If there is tension...great, the roots are nearly established. If it lifts right up, keep on watering.
- Avoid activities, dog traffic, or similar "rough use" on the lawn until four weeks have passed. This will help prevent gaps.
- You can begin to mow the sod/lawn after the roots have been established. This usually occurs about four weeks after the initial installation.
- Remember, it is a good practice to water your lawn after you mow during the hot summer months, and never cut off more than one-third of the grass blade.
- After your lawn has been mowed twice, it is good practice to fertilize it with a starter fertilizer, with high nitrogen content. Always water immediately after fertilizing.
- Many times, especially during the summer months, the sod will dry out very quickly and may turn blue-green in color or may brown out. It may just be under severe stress. Continue to water heavily and its color will return. Don't let the sod reach the point of no return...water, water, water. If you notice gaps between the pieces of sod, it more than likely means the sod has shrunken due to lack of water. Once again, by watering heavily, this could be avoided.
- Last but not least, sod is a perishable item. Transplanting sod causes it to undergo severe stress. Land One, Inc. can only offer a 24 hour guarantee on our sod. We guarantee our sod to be in good condition at the time of the installation and sufficiently watered to survive the first 24 hours.
Seed Maintenance Instructions
Here are some directions to follow after your grass seed had been installed.
- Like sod, seed needs water to establish. Seed requires 1/2" of water per day for the first week. An oscillating sprinkler will work fine.
- The seeded area should be kept moist, but not saturated. You should see germination anywhere between 5 - 14 days. After the seed germinates, reduce watering to 1" three times a week, until the seed area becomes well established. The area still needs to be kept moist after germination.
- Traffic should be kept to a minimum on the seeded area.
- Newly seeded lawns can be mowed as soon as it is possible to do so. Set your mower height between 2-1/2 to 3", and remember, never cut off more than one-third of the grass blade.
- After the second mowing, starter fertilizer with high nitrogen content should be applied. Always water immediately after fertilizing.
- Seeding installations are guaranteed for 60 days if installed during seeding windows. The two windows are May 1 - June 1 and Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. All other installation times are not guaranteed.