Pine Needles: What’s the big deal?

As a landscaper I often get asked questions similar to this:  I am selling my house, what can I do to make it pop?  Or, it's winter, the property looks dormant, what can we do to dress it up?  My answer is always the same, PINE NEEDLES.

Why pine needles?

1. Bang for the buck. In most cases pine needles can be installed less expensively than other types of mulch.
   
2. It is a renewable resource.  The same trees produce the needles year after year. They fall seasonably like leaves do. No trees are cut down or removed.
   
3. Benefits to the soil. The pine needles decompose and therefore are a benefit to the plants, adding nutrients back to the soil.
   
4. Moisture control. Pine needles allow water to penetrate, but at the same time help hold soil in place and reduce erosion. They also hold moisture in the soil for the benefit of plants.
   
5. Insulation. Pine needles are a great insulation for plants.
   

While the above are just a few of the reason I mostly recommend pine needles, probably the biggest is the appearance. In a wintertime landscape, pine needles completely change the perception of the property. If you use a Quality long leaf needle, the impact will be tremendous.

And there it is… That's the key when installing pine needles. Quality. There are a lot of different places to purchase pine needles and the prices do vary. Other variables are bale size, weight, and cleanliness. We use some very simple rules when we purchase. We know our vendors. We have learned over time who has quality needles and who doesn't. We stick with the vendors who provide quality products. We include in our relationships with the vendors right of refusal. We inspect the needles when they arrive. If we do not like the quality, bale size, bale weight, or cleanliness of the bales (lack of leaves, sticks and other debris), we send them back.  We buy large quantities (by the tractor trailer load) insuring we are a good customer to our vendors.  

So we are your contractor. Why should you choose us over someone else who is also installing pine needles? There are a few things to keep in mind concerning pine needles installation.

• Concrete edges. For pine needles to remain in place around driveways, walkways, patios etc, they need to be "stabbed" along the edge of the concrete. We take a straight hoe, and literally push the needles down in along the side of the concrete, lodging them between the soil and the hard surface.
  
• Pine needles need to be rolled around beds to insure they hold in place. We train our employees to do this with a back pack blower insuring the needles are tucked tightly.
  
• At some point after the installation, pine needles will begin to relax and want to move around at the edges. Here is a key ingredient. On our contracted properties, maintaining the edges of the needle beds continually is included in our installation price. We will periodically re-stab or re-roll the needles insuring they maintain a crisp edge for as long as possible.
  

One other fact I will mention when discussing pine needles… As I mentioned above, pine needles fall seasonably like leaves. Now is the season when fallen pine needles are fresh and at their peak. They are longer, have better color, and are harvested cleaner with less debris. The longer they lay on the ground, or are bundled and sit in storage, the more quality you lose. It will take more to cover the same area and the color will not be as keen. (The heavy drop is in the fall no matter when they are purchased.) So now is the time to order to get the most from your needles.

Some things to keep in mind as you consider mulching your beds this year. Here's to having our properties look their best!

The AA Tex Lawn Team

 

The Importance of Winter Stops (or what does a landscaper do in the winter?)

What a weather year it has been. First we started with snow and ice events. Then we progressed into the spring rains. Almost immediately, the temperature changed into 80+ days of 90 degree weather. Now here we are in early December and as I write this it is 9am and 19 degrees with a single digit wind chill. Rare temperatures for the Charlotte region.

As the seasons ebb and flow, the landscaper's roll changes. In the spring, we work on pre-emergent weed control, fertilization, trimming and mowing. As the summer progresses, the mowing and trimming continues as needed depending on what the conditions are and what Mother Nature brings us. Going into fall we begin to prepare the turf areas for next year by spraying any crabgrass that has broken through, aeration, seeding, fertilization and disposing of leaves. That brings us to winter.  

While we are less visible in the cold months, landscapers are still out there. Our stops at the property change focus as the grass growth slows and the mowing becomes less necessary. We begin a process we refer to as Winter Stops. With the wind, rains and human presence on the properties, things we normally take care of in conjunction with mowing, now become the focus. We will visit the properties on average every 10 days. We will remove any trash, limbs, and debris that are present. We are also blowing the concrete areas and any other areas that may need it. With the unpredictability of weather, it is possible that mowing could be necessary, although this is usually an exception. We will make sure edges stay crisp and keep the turf looking good.

If you have contracted with us to plant and maintain your flower beds, one of our winter focuses is to keep the winter weeds out. Checking weeds in the flower beds is very important as chickweed loves those areas and left unchecked, will take them over and choke the flowers out. We also check pansies for fungus that can develop under certain conditions. Although we apply a liquid fertilizer, insecticide and fungicide after planting, we still keep an eye out for disease. If left unchecked, a fungus can kill the flowers.

As we get closer to spring, we work on items like crape myrtle pruning (horticulturally correct, of course), trimming monkey grass and items like pompass grass. We begin the spraying of winter weeds in the turf to eliminate competition to allow the turf to have full benefit of the fertilizer we will put down in the spring.  The last thing I would mention, while not part of winter stops, particularly, is that we do most of our pine needle installations over the winter months. That is when we get our best pine needles as they fall seasonally. Pine Needles are an important step in having the property looking neat and clean as the spring green up begins.

Our main goal in the winter is to keep the properties in check. You would be amazed how fast things can accumulate and become unsightly without consistent management. These visits, while not as visible, make sure that that doesn't happen. So as much as we'd like to be vacationing on some warm, tropical island, we're still happy to be able to keep your property looking its best during the winter.

Keep Warm!

The AA Tex Lawn Team

I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas…

The holiday season is upon us. Although a white Christmas is not the norm for the Charlotte area of North Carolina, you never know what Mother Nature will bring. On average, Charlotte gets 5-6 inches of snow annually (however in 2004, the city saw 14.5 inches!) People from the northern states may not see this as a lot, but winter weather can wreak havoc on streets and parking lots in the south, where winter weather is usually unexpected. Now is the time to start preparing for the inevitability of the snow or ice storm. 
  It is important to have a plan for snow removal and ice control before the next event is on the evening news. AA Tex Lawn has been removing snow and ice in the Charlotte metro area for about 9 years. Effective snow and ice removal requires carefully prepared routes and schedules to keep streets and parking lots free and clear for those who have to face the elements. Now is the time of year that we review with last year's clients to make sure we are both on the same page as far as how much ice melt will be needed, which areas are involved, etc. With the unexpectedness of each winter event, we require the green light well in advance so that we have time to train our staff on the routes and procedures.

When the temperatures drop and the white stuff starts to "stick" our 10 snow plow trucks and other assorted tractors and loaders have a route in place to make sure our clients are safe. Then, after our established routes are complete, we are often able to help with last minute storm needs. Our goal is to keep the pavement clear so that fire and medics can reach those in need.

We would all like to enjoy a "snow day" at home with a cup of hot chocolate. Since that is not always a possibility, make sure the roadways in your business or community are available to those who need them by having a snow contract in place.

Happy sledding!
The AA Tex Lawn Team