In our last blog post, we provided a checklist of things you can do to keep your landscape healthy and looking nice through winter. One of the items we suggested you should do is to prune your trees (shrubs can be pruned, too). Pruning revives tired plants and helps younger plants establish a good shape. We suggest pruning in winter for a few reasons. The lack of leaves makes seeing what you are doing much easier and in the winter, plants are less likely to 'bleed' as sap is not as active. Cuts will have time to heal over before spring growth begins.

The following are a few tips for how to prune your trees and shrubs so you don't cause damage.

The first thing you want to do when pruning is to remove any damaged or diseased wood. This must go first so you're not wasting time working on areas that won't get better.

Next, you'll want to address any branches that crisscross or rub on other surfaces. Start with removing the least important branches completely or shorten them so they are not intertwined. A good place to cut is down to an outward facing bud. Shortening these branches forces the plant to funnel its energy into the buds that remain, giving you more vigorous growth. 

When cutting, make sure you are doing so correctly. Incorrect or 'bad' cuts can result in poor wound recovery and unhealthy plants.

#1
Don’t prune too far away from the bud. More than a finger width is probably too far. Cutting too far away can result in the wood between the cut and the bud below dying, which can affect the health of the bud. If the bud fails to grow, die back can cause the whole stem to die.

#2
Just as you don't want to prune too far away, you don’t want to prune too close to the bud either. If you're on top of the bud, you're too close. Pruning too close to the bud often results in damaging the bud itself and that can jeopardize the bud's ability to grow into a leaf or flower. Pruning too close to the bud can also cause the branch to die back further down the stem.

#3
Be careful of the angle when you prune. If you leave a pointed stub of stem above the bud you risk causing the stem to die back as far as the bud and possibly beyond it. A better option is to keep the cut as straight as possible but a slight angle can be okay if you are trying to redirect the growth of a particular branch.

#4
Make sure any cuts you make have angles that slope in a way that forces water to run off and not pool. If water pools on the cut, your plant is more susceptible to rot.

Pruning can be a challenging project if you've never done it before, or if you have a lot of trees and shrubs to contend with. If you would like help pruning plants around your property, give Graham Landscape & Design a call for a free estimate. 541-729-8029

The old adage of "saving for a rainy day" teaches us the importance of planning ahead for the unexpected so we can handle emergencies when they pop up. Planning for snow removal falls into this same line of thinking. Once winter weather arrives, the threat of snow or severe ice disrupting our daily activities or business is a matter of "when" not "if."

Planning ahead
It can be tempting to hire the first person who shows up with a plow, however, it's best to plan ahead so you know you're working with an experienced, licensed and insured professional. Hiring the wrong person (i.e. inexperienced, uninsured, the 'Good Samaritan', etc.) can leave you in worse shape if someone gets injured or if property becomes damaged from snow/ice removal efforts.

Don't get caught unprepared — plan now for who to call to remove snow or ice from your home or business. Besides knowing you're hiring a professional, planning early can put you on the "first to service" list as opposed to those who call at the last minute.

Estimating costs
Costs for snow and ice removal are usually determined by the square footage of your property and the types of surfaces that will require service (i.e. parking lots, walkways, service entrances, etc.). A few other important factors in the cost of services include how difficult your property is to navigate, the depth of the snow, the thickness of the ice, and how far out of town your property is located. Our team of professionals can work with you to estimate costs so you can budget ahead of time.

To get an estimate for your property, please visit our sister website Eugene Snow Removal.

Even with careful maintenance, bare spots can still rear their ugly heads in your lawn. If unfamiliar with what to do, bare spots can quickly spread and become costly lawn repairs.

Before beginning any lawn repairs, you need to first determine the source of your problem. Bare spots in your lawn can be the result of heavy foot traffic, drought (or in other words, a lack of watering), disease, chemical burn, and even weed or insect infestation. Determining the cause for your lawn's bare spots will help you in planning a corrective course of action and help you prevent it from continuing.

If heavy foot traffic is the cause for your lawn's bare spots, look for a way to keep traffic off of that area. A nice, long-term solution includes modifying your landscape with the addition of stepping stones, a gravel pathway or a barrier that would reroute traffic and protect that area of your lawn.

If a lack of water is the issue, consulting an irrigation specialist could be helpful. After analysis of your irrigation system, a professional can make recommendations for system adjustments so that all areas of your yard are adequately watered.

If insects or disease are the cause, determine the specific cause. Consulting with a landscape maintenance professional can help with identification and they can make suggestions for the most effective treatment. Most treatments will need to be applied and allowed to work before you can grow new grass. The treatment product instructions will tell you how long to wait before sowing new seed.

The team at Graham Landscape & Design has tremendous experience in remedying a variety of landscape blights, including bare spots, so that you can have a beautiful lawn. If you live in the Eugene-Springfield, Oregon area, give us a call today to get a free evaluation and estimate. 541-729-8029

It's happened to the best of us. Life got busy and before you knew it your yard got out of control. At first, it was no big deal... "I'll take care of those leaves over the weekend, " or "I'll clear out the berry bushes over break." Then more time slipped by and taking care of the yard dropped further and further down the 'to do' list. Sound familiar?

Well, we've got good news for you.

Graham Landscape & Design offers clean-up services for both residential and commercial properties. Clean-up service entails coming to your property and clearing out unwanted brush and debris or cleaning up your plantings and grounds, giving you essentially a blank slate or fresh start. Clean-ups are commonly used for seasonal purposes to clear the leaves, prune or trim trees and shrubs, remove moss and other unwanted invasive plants, etc. They can also be scheduled other times of the year, too, whenever your yard needs a reboot.

Most clean-ups are completed in one visit. Occasionally, larger jobs can take more time, but it's dependent on what you'd like to do with your property. For example, if you need some bushes cleared back so you can see your yard again, that's more than likely a one-day job. However, if you're looking at stripping things away to get a true blank canvas, that could take a few more days.

A member of our team will come to your property and walk through with you what you'd like to have done, ask questions, and offer suggestions so we can best accomplish what you'd like to achieve. This way, you'll get a more accurate estimate and timeline for completion. We can also provide an estimate for ongoing maintenance, so things don't get out of control again.

Clients who use our clean-up services say one of the biggest benefits is the considerable time savings we provide, freeing up your weekend so you can do the things you want to do. Also, our clean-up services let you focus on the fun part of working with your yard (planting and gardening, etc.) and not the labor-intensive removal, chore-like aspects. Also, when we're done, we haul everything away, so you don't have to. What could be better than that?

If a clean-up service or ongoing maintenance sounds like something you could use, please give us a call at 541-729-8029. We're here to help and would love to turn your yard back into a place you can truly enjoy.

If you have a pond in your yard, now is the time to start thinking about how to care for it this summer. The following is a brief checklist of the things you'll want to make sure are in order so you can enjoy your pond all summer long.

1. Fertilize any plants in your pond. As a rule of thumb, lilies and lotus should be fertilized every 3-4 weeks, and marginals every 5-7 weeks.
2. Remove dead foliage from your pond. When the plant leaves turn yellow and brown with age, this is the best time to cut them off. Doing so reduces debris buildup in your pond and provides more room for new growth. Besides, this clean up helps improve the overall appearance of your pond.
3. Feed your fish well but be careful not to over-feed. Feed no more than the fish will eat in 5 minutes. Feed 1-3 times per day.
4. Clean your pond's filter as needed, making sure not to over-clean. You do not want to strip your pond of the excellent biome that's been created.
5. Maximize your aeration. Generally speaking, warm water holds less oxygen, yet the fish use more oxygen in warm water, thereby creating a huge necessity for added aeration by using an air pump or an additional pump. Make sure you have this running continuously, so your fish remain healthy. 

Enjoy!

Graham Landscape & Design has been designing and installing ponds in landscapes throughout the Willamette Valley since 2010. Give us a call today at 541-729-8029 if you're interested in a pond or other water feature for your yard.

Beyond natural slug treatments, did you know the design of your yard, along with the materials and features used can also help deter the presence of these pests? Here are some great tips to help manage slugs through smart design.

• For pathways, consider using sharp and pointy gravel, which can injure the soft underbelly of slugs.
• For mulch, avoid using straw and leaves during the wet times of the year. Slugs love the moist, dark environment of almost every kind of mulch and love to crawl right through it to hide and lay eggs. If you use mulch, try adjusting your application to the dryer part of the growing season, when slugs are less active.
• If you like to use raised garden beds, add copper fencing to make it harder for slugs to access your plants.
• If you're not afraid of harmless, helpful critters, you can keep a pile of rocks at the edge of your garden to encourage garden snakes. And a compost pile will encourage beetles, which also prey on slugs.
• As soon as temperatures allow, remove protective ground covers. Anything that sits on top of the ground becomes a place for slugs to hide and multiply.
• You can build a berm around the perimeter of your garden about three inches wide which can serve as a place to sprinkle a line of eggshells and diatomaceous earth. These act as a natural barrier, keeping slugs away from your plants.
• With regard to irrigation, your best bet is to water at the base of plants, using drip irrigation, and maintaining well-drained soil. Space plants well away from each other also helps.
• If you've ever considered a water feature for your yard, here's one more reason why they're great. An irrigation pond next to your garden will encourage frogs or provide a home for ducks, or both, who will be some of the most effective slug predators.
• Potatoes, peas, beans, and celery are all particularly delicious to slugs. If you are going to spend time individually wrapping plants with copper, this is where to focus your energies. Watch this.
• Many aromatic herbs repel slugs, such as rosemary. These both look and smell good!
• Marigolds and Black-eyed Susan are also beautiful and help deter slugs when bordering gardens.
• Other plants are resistant or less affected by slugs. These include astilbe, campanula, lobelia, phlox, ranunculus, and viola.

If you'd like help in designing a garden that's slug-unfriendly, let us know. We can help. Give our team a call today at 541-729-8029.

Slugs are in every garden and cause more damage than most other invaders. Commercial slug killers are available, but they can be toxic to birds and other wildlife and tend to be less effective after it rains which is when slugs are the most active. So, what can you do? Here are a few tips for how you can tackle the slugs in your garden, naturally.

Copper
Small strips of copper can be placed around flowerpots or raised beds as obstructions for slugs to crawl over. Cut 2″ strips of thin copper and wrap around the lower part of flower pots, like a ribbon. Or set the strips in the soil on edge, making a “fence” for the slugs to climb. Check to make sure no vegetation hangs over the copper, which might provide a ‘bridge’ for the slugs. Copper barriers also work well around wood barrels used as planters.

Lava Rock
Like diatomaceous earth, slugs will avoid the abrasive surface of lava rock. Lava rock can be used as a barrier around plantings but should be left mostly above soil level. Otherwise, dirt or vegetation soon forms a bridge for slugs to cross.

Beetles
Rove beetles are very good at eating slug eggs and baby slugs. You can encourage these beetles by creating homes for them by turning a plastic box upside down over a pile of straw with a small pile of rocks inside to hide in or a pile of rocks under some overhanging plants.

Seaweed
If you have access to seaweed, it’s well worth the effort to gather some. Seaweed is a good soil amendment for the garden and a natural repellent for slugs. Mulch with seaweed around the base of plants or perimeter of planter bed. Pile it on 3″ to 4″ thick – when it dries, it will shrink to just an inch or so deep. Seaweed is salty, and slugs avoid salt. Push the seaweed away from plant stems, so it’s not in direct contact. During hot weather, seaweed will dry and become very rough which also deters the slugs.

Beer
Slugs are attracted to beer. Set a small amount of beer in a wide shallow jar buried in the soil up to its neck. Slugs will crawl in and drown. Take the jar lid and prop it up with a small stick so rain won’t dilute the beer. Leave space for slugs to enter the trap.

Watering Schedule
Far and away the best course of action against slugs in your garden is a simple adjustment in the watering schedule. Slugs are most active at night and are most efficient in damp conditions. Avoid watering your garden in the evening if you have a slug problem. Water in the morning – the surface soil will be dry by evening. Studies show this can reduce slug damage by 80%.

If you suffer from slugs destroying the plants in your yard or garden, we can help. Our skilled maintenance team can work with you on a plan for preserving your plants and managing pests. Give us a call today: 541-729-8029

If you're like most people, irrigation is not something you really think about. Chances are, the irrigation system you have on your property was installed by the previous owner and you've never had to deal with it, or you've installed a system but then took the 'set it and forget it' approach. Both situations put you in company with the vast majority of people we work with and that's okay.

​But what you might not realize is that much like how lawns need maintenance, so do irrigation systems. A neglected system needing repairs can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars, so maintenance is important. The following are a few tips to help you keep your irrigation system flowing smoothly.

1. Implement a maintenance schedule. A routine schedule should include examining sprinkler heads, evaluating dry spots and overwatered spots, watching for any clogs, and routinely looking for broken or leaking lines. Seasonally, it should include backflow testing and winterization.
2. Know your plants. Just as your yard changes with new or removed plants so do your irrigation needs. Before you start digging to expand or relocate irrigation lines, consider where the lines are located so you don't accidentally break a line with your shovel. Also, make sure to read the labeling of new sprinkler heads to make sure the water pressure and spray can deliver the right amount of water where it is needed.
3. Understand the capacity and programming of your irrigation system. One area where we see common issues is a property either not having a system with a capacity that corresponds to the size of the yard it is watering, or the property owner has a good system but simply doesn't know how to operate it. Having a professional evaluate your system and explain/demonstrate how to work your irrigation system can save you money, time, and lots of headaches.

Working with irrigation systems doesn't typically fall into everyone's wheelhouse or skillset. The good news is that there are professionals who can help with both maintenance and repairs.

In the Eugene-Springfield area, Graham Landscape & Design works with small residential irrigation systems as well as large commercial irrigation systems. Our team of experts can work with you to assess your needs and develop a plan that makes sense for your objectives and budget. Give us a call at 541-729-8029 to schedule a consult today.

Weeds. They are the bain of every beautiful lawn and flowerbed. You know what we're talking about. You spend a great deal of time to plan, plant, and cultivate a beautiful yard and then BAM! You spot weeds. Never just one, but little clusters here and there. They're everywhere! So, what are you going to do?

Tips for dealing with weeds in your yard:

1. Don't pull them up! At least not when it's been dry. When you pull up weeds, you risk sprinkling all of their seeds back into your lawn or planted area, creating a breeding ground for the next round of weeds. If you really can't resist the urge to pull weeds, the best time to do so is when everything is wet. For one, the soil will be softer, and you can get the root out with the weed. And second, you limit the likelihood that the weed will release its seeds.
2. Mulch! This is best for your planted areas as mulch is a natural weed barrier. And, as a bonus, a fresh layer of mulch gives your yard added visual appeal.
3. Remove their tops. With annual weeds, deadheading them can earn you some extra time before they release their seeds. Lopping off the tops also reduces any reseeding, and this action forces weeds to use up their food sources which results in limiting their spread.
4. Use selective watering. Weeds have the same requirements as other plants: a good place to grow and lots of water. So, if you selectively water the plants you want and not the weeds, they'll reduce in number and size. What's the best way to accomplish this? With drip irrigation. Drip irrigation helps control weeds, and it saves you money on your water bill.
5. Plan for the gaps in your planted areas. If you plant specimens close together (per guidelines for each plant), you reduce the space available for weeds to grow. In essence, you choke them out so they can't get light, food, or water.

While these tips can help manage the weed situation in your yard, know that despite your best efforts, the weeds will keep coming back. Weed control is just that — control, not eliminate. Keeping weeds at bay requires ongoing monitoring and treatment. If that level of commitment or use of time sounds unappealing, consider hiring a landscaper who offers maintenance services. Together, you can discuss the priorities for your yard, how and when you want services, and come to an agreement that works for your budget.

​If you live in the Eugene-Springfield area, Graham Landscape & Design can help control the weeds in your lawn, and so much more. Please give us a call for a no-obligation quote today. 541-729-8029.

Correct pruning is a landscape practice that can enhance the health, vigor, and aesthetics of your yard's trees and shrubs. While you should prune some plants and trees at other times of the year, there are distinct advantages to pruning in the winter.

1. During the winter, most woody plants are dormant. Being dormant is helpful because many diseases and insects that can potentially invade pruning cuts are inactive at this time, too.
2. After leaves have fallen, it is much easier to see a plant's overall form and structure. Without visual obstructions, you can identify and remove any damaged and diseased branches.
3. Pruning too early (in the late summer or early fall) can stimulate new growth that may not harden off before the cold weather. Waiting to prune in the winter removes this concern.
4. Winter pruning is beneficial for your plants, leaving them with surplus root and energy reserves to quickly heal wounds. Also, winter pruning supports vigorous spring growth, obscuring any pruning cuts.
5. Winter pruning is also good for you, giving you a reason to go outside on a mild winter day to enjoy your landscape.

So, which plants should you prune in the winter? Here is a short list of plants that appreciate a good trim in late winter.

• Summer flowering trees – Ornamental trees that bloom in summer such as crape myrtles, vitex, smoke tree and rose of Sharon
• Hydrangea paniculata and H. arborescens – Unlike their cousin H. macrophylla, these two hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so cut them back hard to promote growth and flowers.  H. paniculata can be cut back to two buds above the base of the flower stem. Prune H. arborescens back to varying heights of one to three feet from the ground.
• Fruit trees – Fruit trees flower on growth from the previous season, but pruning should occur when the tree is dormant, so there will be some flower and fruit loss.  The good news is that pruning promotes vigorous growth and larger, better-tasting fruits.  Each type of fruit tree has some special requirements so do some research before you begin cutting.
• Roses – Hybrid tea, old-fashioned and climbing roses should be pruned right before the leaf buds break.

What should you NOT prune in the winter? Here is a list of plants that prefer to be pruned in late spring or summer.

• Spring flowering shrubs – Forsythia, quince, azaleas, bridal wreath spirea and other shrubs that bloom in spring should be pruned immediately after they flower.
• Spring flowering trees – Lilacs, ornamental fruit trees and Eastern redbuds, for example, should be pruned right after the tree finishes flowering.
• Hydrangea macrophylla – Old-fashioned, pompon hydrangeas set bloom buds on the previous year’s growth.  It’s safe to remove faded flowers and dead branches.
• Once-blooming roses – Old-fashioned roses that only flower once each growing season, such as Damasks and moss roses bloom on old wood and should be pruned in the summer after they have flowered.
• Gardenias – These should be pruned immediately after they bloom.
• Bleeding trees – Maples, birches, dogwoods, walnuts, and elms produce copious amounts of sap when they are pruned in late winter.  Pruning won’t hurt the trees, but it will be less messy if you wait until summer.

If you would like some help with your winter yard maintenance, including pruning, please give us a call at 541-729-8029, and we'll schedule an appointment that works for you.