Proper pruning techniques are extremely beneficial to the health and overall appearance of your ornamentals. However, it is important to consult a Hobart tree care specialist to find out the proper times and pruning styles for the type of shrubs you have on your landscape. Consulting a Hobart tree care expert before taking the first cut will ensure that you won’t actually be harming the shrub. There are different ways to prune your shrubs, Hobart tree care professionals say, and it’s important to know the benefits of each technique.

Shearing

Shearing is probably the most common type of pruning and is used to give shrubs an elegant and purposeful appearance, as well as regulate their height. However, the practice of shearing is detrimental to a shrub’s health, according to Hobart tree care authorities, because the careless cuts give disease and decay an open invitation into the plant. Shearing also does not remove the dead and dying portions that are located on the interior part of the plant, which prevents new shoots from developing.

Rejuvenation Pruning

There are some types of shrubs that actually benefit from annual or bi-annual pruning that involves cutting the plant all the way to the base. Removing the existing parts of the plant encourages new growth in the following season.

Renewal Pruning

Tree care specialists say the best way to maintain the health of your shrubs is by removing a quarter of the oldest stems at the base of the plant. Known as “thinning,” this process allows the shrub to maintain a natural and distinguished appearance. The thinning of these branches near the base also allows sunlight to shine on the base, which is necessary for stimulating new growth.

Selective Pruning

Selective pruning involves cutting at branch collars to take advantage of the shrub’s built-in protective tissues. This type of pruning also accentuates the natural form of the shrub.

If you aren’t sure which pruning technique is best for your shrubs, call your Hobart tree care authority.

Tree care specialists say that a structurally sound tree that is professionally cared for is an important quality to your landscape and will even increase your property’s value. It is for this reason that winter pruning is a must. There is no better time than the winter for Hobart tree care specialists to evaluate the health and structural needs of your ornamentals.

What can be distinguished during winter pruning?

When Hobart tree care experts prune your trees in the winter, they are looking for signs of damage caused by disease, insects or other problems. They inspect the tree for damaged limbs that need to be removed in order to maintain the health and vitality of the tree. However, it’s also important for them to maintain the structure of the tree so it does not become physically weakened. During the winter, they are better able to obtain this information because there are no leaves to hide possible damage.

Newly planted trees can also be inspected to see how well they are flourishing. The first few years of a tree life are very important, and if there is something that should be corrected, now is the time to do so. One specific problem Hobart tree care authorities look for is “co-dependent branches.” These are branches that are not attached to the tree in a structurally sound manner. If this condition isn’t corrected when the tree is still young, the branches are more likely to break when the tree is older. This may not sound like a serious issue, but as a property owner, it may be hazardous to have a tree on your property that has limbs that are easily broken.

Call and schedule a winter inspection with your local Hobart tree care expert!

Many people are turning to LED lighting these days to save money and to be environmentally conscious. Little may they know that this same conservation can take place outside the home as well. If you’re looking to add landscape lighting to your property, tree care experts say LED lighting is a great option.

LED tree care lighting can provide the same function as regular outdoor lighting, but at a reduced cost, according to tree care professionals. LED lighting companies claim that using these types of lights will save you 90 percent on your electric bill, and are easier on your wallet in the long run. Even though LED lights cost more than typical outdoor lights, they last much longer than other bulbs, which means you’ll have to replace them less often, some lasting 15 to 20 years.

Because LED lights are low voltage, tree care agents say the risk of shock is lower than common light bulbs. LED lights also do not become as heated as other types of outdoor lighting, which means fingers, pets, plants, etc. won’t be burned by the heat.

The best reason to go with LED landscape lighting is the most advantageous to the environment. Tree care authorities say LED lights have a lower carbon emission rate. Though this might not make a huge difference in our own time, future generations will benefit from the decisions we make today.

Clover is an easy addition to your landscape, and Hobart tree care specialists say it offers a unique charm that even the best looking grass cannot match. Additionally, clover holds a great number of advantages over grass. If you’re looking to spruce up your landscape and add in something different, here are some reasons why you should consider installing patches of clover.

• Low-maintenance. Put your lawn mower and garden hose away! Clover is quite drought-resistant and requires little to no mowing since it only grows between 2 and 8 inches. Because it doesn’t have dramatic growth spurts, it also doesn’t need very much water and will remain green throughout the seasons.
• Grows in any climate, in any soil. Landscapes all over the country can grow clover and it will even grown in soil that you may have a hard time planting grass or other plants. If this is the case, Hobart tree care professionals say clover is a perfect solution for utilizing this otherwise useless area.
• No need for fertilizer or herbicides. Clover self-fertilizes, so there is no need to add anything to the mix in order to make it grow. Additionally, clover is very unlike grass in that it defeats weeds in the competition for nutrients and water. Ugly weeds are highly unlikely to appear in your clover patches.
• Resistant to “urine spots.” If you have grass and a dog, you more than likely have discolored spots in your lawn that are revealing of where your dog likes to relieve himself. Clover will never discolor due to the nitrogen and salt that causes the discoloration of grass.
• Cheaper than grass. Clover is a much more cost-effective choice for your landscape. In addition to requiring no fertilization or herbicides and less water, the seeds are also cheaper than grass seed. Tree care specialists estimate clover costs around $ 4 for every 4,000 square feet! The only disadvantage associated with this is that clover may need to be re-seeded every 2-3 years, but since it’s relatively inexpensive and doesn’t require much upkeep, this seems like a positive trade-off!

Mushrooms are relatively harmless to your lawn, and the only risk they pose is to children or animals who might eat them. The best way to get rid of mushrooms is to figure out what is causing them to grow in the first place and remove that cause from your lawn.

Mushrooms are a sign that something is decaying beneath your lawn. Tree care experts claim that it can be anything from a rotting tree stump to a long-ago buried family pet. Whatever the case may be, if you see mushrooms in your lawn, you’re going to have to dig a little deeper to find the culprit. Mushrooms are a fungus, so you need to remove what is causing the fungus to grow.

If you don’t want to disturb the earth for whatever reason (who knows WHAT you’ll find if you aren’t sure what’s causing the growth), there is another solution to neutralizing the fungal growth. Eliminate the surface mushrooms with a lawn mower or a shovel. Mix ¼ cup of dish liquid in with 3 gallons of warm water and saturate the ground with this mixture. If the area is larger, you might need to make more than one batch.

This process will need to be repeated in a week and possibly again within a couple of months, but eventually you should stop seeing mushrooms popping up in your lawn.

If your landscape is subject to long periods of unrelenting sunlight, tree care professionals will advise you that not just any type of groundcover will endure. In order to create a successful landscape, you need to have a groundcover that can withstand the constant sunlight and heat that accompanies long periods of sunlight.

Part of having a beautiful landscape is employing inventive ideas that will give your property a distinguished appearance. Thyme, anemone and stonecrop are perfect options recommended by tree care experts when your landscape is lacking proper shade.

Thyme is a dense groundcover that will successfully survive in sunny or partially sunny areas of your landscape. This option offers a variety of colors when it comes to foliage, from bright green and bluish to a greyer green and yields a beautiful pink or lavender flowering carpet. Perhaps you won’t want to step foot on this beautiful landscape canvass, but if you do, thyme holds up exceptionally well under occasional foot traffic.

Anemone is perfect for soils that are finicky. Blooming in the late spring, anemone produces tall and exquisite flowers that are certain to complement your trees and shrubs, according to tree care agents. What makes anemone even more ideal is its high tolerance for dry soil.

Stonecrop also offers beautiful foliage and is a flowering groundcover. This ideal turf mat is capable of withstanding hot, dry weather, but also can endure cold, harsh winter weather. Depending on the variety, some stonecrop grows close to the ground and is not impeded by foot traffic; however other species are more delicate and would require an area not frequented by feet or paws.

If you aren’t sure what kind of groundcover would be best suited for your landscape, call your local tree care company and have an expert help you decide what would be best to withstand the unvarying blazing and unforgiving heat of the sun.

Many homeowners are intimidated by the prospect of pruning. Knowing that improper pruning can lead to a sick or otherwise compromised tree or shrub can be too much for some people, especially after they have invested so much in their landscape.

No matter how scary the idea of pruning is, it should be a practice you get into with comfort and regularity because a well-pruned plant is a healthy plant. Pruning improves the flow of moisture and nutrients through the plant, as well as allows thriving areas to receive most of the nutrition while dead or dying areas are removed from the plant, according to tree care agents.

Pruning is one of the best practices you can perform on the plants in your garden and landscape. Tree care experts say becoming proficient at pruning plants just takes experience and the right tools. Here are four basic tools that will take care of pretty much all your garden pruning tasks. You should keep these tips in mind when selecting your hand pruners, loppers, shears and saws:

1. Don’t be cheap when it comes to investing in pruning tools. Good quality tools stay sharp longer, cut easier and will last longer, paying for themselves in the long run.
2. Keep your tools sharpened to make cutting easier and to produce clean cuts that heal faster. A sharper pruning tool also puts less stress on your hand, according to tree care professionals.
3. Keep your pruning tools clean and clean the blades in between trees or shrubs. One pruning cut on a diseased branch can spread disease throughout your garden. Wipe the blade clean with rubbing alcohol. Don’t ever put your pruning shears away without cleaning them first.

The one thing any homeowner does not want is to find their lawn swimming in a sea of weeds. Not all of us are tree care experts, so we probably aren’t aware of half the weeds out there other than your standard crabgrass and fescue. However, there are several types of weeds to be on the lookout for and here is the description of some of the most exotic types.

Mouse-ear chickweed sounds nothing like a weed, other than the “weed” part at the end of its name. However, it is indeed a weed and can be discovered in the late spring and early summer when small, white flowers begin to appear. The leaves are narrow, long and fleshy and also have a fuzzy appearance. The best time to eliminate them is in the spring because by mid-summer they have begun to sprout seed heads.

Oxalis is another spring/early summer weed. It stays close to the ground, which makes it easy for it to remain on your lawn even after mowing. If your turf is damp, does not have proper irrigation and is heavily shaded, tree care say it is the ideal growing conditions for oxalis. This weed is distinguishable by its bright yellow flowers with purple or reddish leaves and stems.

Purslane has rubbery leaves that are thick and sprawling, along with five-petaled yellow flowers that are in full bloom when the sun is shining its brightest. The seeds of this weed are most dangerous because even though you may remove the weed and its roots, the seeds lay dormant in the soil for years. This lawn sabotager loves hot, dry weather and is often found in thin areas of a lawn or in turfs that have been seeded in the summer.

There are quite a few varieties of speedwell that can occur in your landscape, according to tree care experts, and all differentiated by petite, lobed, and plentiful leaves, and by minuscule white or purple flowers. The scallop-edged leaves are paired, emerging opposite of one another. Heart-shaped seed pods develop on the stems beneath the flowers.

Speedwells tend to emerge fairly early in the season, sprouting as early as late winter. Most are set apart by creeping stems that root at the nodes. These weeds are known to prosper in chilled, damp soils where turf has become thin and sparse.

Spurge is a weed that can grow from 6 to 36 inches in height. Vertical stems bear linear, alternating leaves of a bluish-green shade. The species show yellow-green inflorescence on an umbel near the apex of the stem. The yellow-green bracts are the brightest and eye-catching aspect of the plant. A milky white sap (latex) is discovered in all areas of the plant, and aids in recognition. Spurge exists principally in non-cropland environments, including roadsides, prairies, savannas and woodlands. It is able to thrive in a wide range of surroundings, from moist to very dehydrated soils.

Tall fescue does produce short rhizomes but tends to grow in bunches. Stems reach to a height of 3 to 4 feet, and have broad, dark green basal leaves. Leaf blades are glossy on the underside and serrated on the margins. The leaf casing is smooth.

Weeds can become a serious problem for your land if not properly taken care of and removed. Your local landscaping or tree care authority can treat your landscape to make sure speedwell, spurge and tall fescue never make a dent in your lawn.

Do you feel like your landscape is missing something but don’t really want to get involved in a long-term or expensive renovation project? Stepping stones may be the answer!

One of the most underappreciated landscaping home improvement projects is the simple addition of stepping stones to your garden and lawn areas. Stepping stones are an easy way to add texture, contrast, and convenient pathways to your landscaping design. If you’re looking for a low-cost, attractive, landscaping addition to your property, the world of stepping stones is one you ought to explore with your Hobart tree care provider.

Any type of landscaping is going to add value to your property, both fiscally and aesthetically. Stepping stones in particular give your landscape texture, dimension and color. A professional Hobart tree care company will be able to offer up creative ideas when it comes to design using whatever type of material you think will fit the current or intended motif of your property.

Stepping stones typically come in natural stone and pavers. Natural stone includes flagstone, slate and sandstone, all which can be cut to your specifications. Installing natural stone paths in your landscape can also help minimize trampling of delicate grass and compacting the soil beneath. Stone pavers are able to be interlocked, which gives a homeowner the option of having a continuous pathway instead of intermittent stones. These are also less costly than their natural stone counterparts. If you’re looking for a more consistent design, stone pavers are also a more ideal selection.

Whatever your preference, your local Hobart tree care company can make sure your landscape becomes exactly what you want and within budget without a long, complicated landscaping project.