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| Hewson Landscape Inc. News & Notes |
November 2009 |
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 Message from the President
Back from Louisville, Kentucky and we are pumped up! The convention center itself was under 30 acres of enclosed space, while the outdoor equipment demo area was an additional 30 acres. The educational seminars and keynote speakers were conducted by major industry players - P. Allen Smith, an NBC garden advisor, Rich Ascolese of Tru Green($1.3 billion revenue), Scott Brickman of the Brickman Group($680 million revenue), and Craig Ruppert of the Ruppert Companies($57 million), to name a few. The vendor booths were incredible - set up in innovative ways to display products and equipment. The industry pulse weighed in-lawn maintenance companies were up 10-20%, while design/building firms were down 10-40%. Things for 2010 are looking cautious but optimistic. The key to future growth relies in finding innovative ways to deliver services, and managing your systems and people. Below: Inside the trade show at Below: 4st Street, Louisville, KY Outdoor concerts were held-Grass the Kubota Booth. Roots, The Blues Brothers & Eddie Money were sponsored by vendors from the conference. Great outside restaurants along the corridor.   |
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A Bit of Trivia
What are Capers?
Did you know that capers are the unripened flower buds of Capparis spinosa, a prickly perennial plant which is native to the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia?
Caper buds are hand picked, then sun dried. Next step is to cure in vinegar, brine, wine, or salt. The curing brings out their their tangy flavor,  similar to
green olives.
The size of the buds range from tiny petite peas, up to the size of a small olive.
Cooking Tips:
- Because of the brining used to preserve capers, it is generally recommended that you rinse your capers of excess salt and/or brine before using your recipe. Gently blot dry with paper towel.
- Those on sodium restricted diets should avoid capers.
- Capers packed in brine should be kept submerged in their liquid in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator and use within 9 months.
- Capers packed in salt may be kept at room temperature up to 6 months, but must also be kept air tight.
- You may wish to chop large capers before adding them to your dish.
- For best flavor, add capers at the end of the cooking process.
- Capers are exceptional with seafood and pasta. They also go well with salads, sauces, stews, vegetables (especially tomatoes), pizza, eggs, poultry, and meat.
- Some of the most popular uses of capers include tapenada, scalloppine, and remoulade sauce. My favorite is chicken piccata.
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Benefits to Fall Clean Up
We all spend hours each fall season raking, bagging, and cleaning up after the leaves that blanket our yard. Why do we do this? There isn't a scientific basis for this fall tradition of ours. Research has actually proven quite the opposite. Mowing leaves into your lawn actually improves its vigor. Also the belief that raking leaves over your plant beds is bad for the plants has been proven untrue if the plants are shade tolerant perennials.
Several universities have done research on this new idea of leaf mowing. The results have been that the nutrients and organic material found in leaves improves the quality of the turf when mowed into it. An experiment done by Michigan State involved mowing 18 inches of leaves into a test plot of land. The experiment was equivalent to 450 pounds of leaves per 1,000 square feet. The following spring, the lawn was healthier than the previous year and there was very little trace of leaves remaining.
It is very easy for you to achieve this same result. Set your mower blade at 3 inches, like Michigan state did, and mow your lawn once a week when the leaf coverage is about 4 inches deep. A tip is that leaves tend to shred best when slightly damp, so mowing after the dew is best.
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Using leaves as a source of organic soil-building material is great for planting beds. The leaves act like a mulch, protecting tree roots from extreme temperatures, and hold moisture for times of little precipitation. Leaf coverage on areas that are naturally shady has not proven to be a problem for the native plants living there. Leaves will just settle on your planting beds the same way that they fall on the forest floor.
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Situation Slope
A Slippery Slide to Maintenance
Do you have a problem with the slope on your property? Maintenance of a slope is one of the most difficult issues people face. Almost any type of maintenance function is more difficult on a slope; but there are some ways to make your slope less aggravating.
The Problem
Low Infiltration
On a slope with a 4 percent or more drop off, infiltration may be a problem. On a steep slope water runoff occurs more quickly and infiltration decreases. The result being that the plants at the top of the hill get less water than the plants at the bottom of the hill. Plants at the bottom of the hill tend to get too much water because they are at the bottom of the run off. Plants at the top of the hill will be drought-prone, and the plants at the bottom may get root rot due to the extra soggy conditions.
Hard to Mow
When mowing on a slope the weight of the mower is unevenly distributed. This can lead to an increased risk of overturning your mower. It also makes steering a problem, which creates worn turf, and possible ruts from the mower slipping.
Uneven Fertilization
Just as the water did not absorb evenly, the fertilization will not spread evenly. Rainfall will wash the fertilizer downhill, along with any other lawn chemicals. Uneven chemical distribution can reduce product concentration at the top of the slope to the point where it will no longer be effective. If too much chemical washes to the bottom it can cause phytotoxicity, which is poisonous to plants.
Hard to Mulch
As with everything else mulch also has a hard time staying in place on a slope. Where most people might prefer organic mulch - bark nuggets, cypress pieces, branch/stump grindings, wood chips etc., organic products might do better. On a slope, material with weight, such as rocks, or stone, might do better in keeping the mulch in place.
The Solution
A well designed and maintained slope can add a wonderful accent or backdrop to a yard, and can also be functional.
Replacing the Turf
Replacing the turf is probably the simplest design solution. Ground covers and ornamental grasses are some solution choices, but there are hundreds depending on your location and taste. A big advantage to this is that they do not need to be mowed, which eliminates the safety hazard.
Keeping the Turf
- Regrading is one way to keep the turf if it is a steep slope surrounded on all sides by large areas of flat ground. Regrading will spread the slope out over the large area, which would reduce the steepness, making it easier to maintain.
- Terracing or retaining walls are a good technique when space does not exist to spread out to make a gradual slope. If this is the option you believe is best for you and the area is complex or very large, consult a landscape architect for advice and ideas.
Change your Maintinance Techniques
When irrigating, split up your application time to two or three shorter sprinklings as opposed to one long run time.
Aerate to increase the percolation rate, enhancing downward water movement.
Apply a plant growth regulator. This will result in fewer mowings per season.
Water only the top of the slope. This application will flow downhill, soaking in along the way.
Plant Recommendations
Sun and shade tolerance need to be determined for successful plant establishent. Plants that do well on a hill are: ajuga, lilly-of-the-valley, lantana, rosemary, cotoneaster, yarrow, juniper, lirope, wintercreeper, ivy, crown vetch, lambsear, fountain grass, and vinca minor are some species you may consider.
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We'd Love to Hear from You!
Whether you'd like to discuss your property, inquire about additional services, need a price quote, or just want to stop by and say "Hi," we'd love to hear from you...
908-222-3616
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