| Proper maintenance is important for the success of your landscape plantings. These guidelines will help you maintain your investment and keep your guarantee intact: |
| Watering |
| Watering is the most important factor in establishing your new plantings. During the year after planting, check all plants bi-weekly by inserting your finger into the soil to a depth of 2-3". Water when the soil is no longer moist. slow, deep watering is recommended. A slow trickle of water from a garden hose for 15-30 minutes should be adequate for trees and larger shrubs. For small shrubs, perennials or annuals, running a sprinkler or a soaker hose over the area for the same amount of time should be adequate. |
Over-watering is as bad as no water, so always check your soil before watering.
Note: Due to shallower root systems, perennials and annuals react more quickly to draught, so monitor the soil conditions more regularly than with other plantings. |
| Mulching |
| We recommend that a maximum of 2" of well-composted organic mulch be maintained on shrub or perennial beds that do not have established ground cover plantings. Mulching helps prevent weeds, stabilizes ground temperatures and retains moisture. As the mulch decomposes, gently rake it into the top layer of soil. |
| Fertilization |
| Stewart Lawncare & Landscape fertilizes if needed at planting so no fertilizer is necessary for the first year. For established planting, late fall and early spring are the recommended times to fertilize. Use a good quality fertilizer and apply at the recommended rate. Always follow the directions carefully. |
| Pruning |
| Your plantings should require very little pruning. Good plant health is maintained by minimizing pruning. Pruning should be restricted to light shaping and the removal of dead and broken branches. When pruning, always make clean cuts with a sharp tool Make cuts at an angle of about 1/4" above a bud to guide new growth. |
| Shrubs which bear blossoms on new growth in late spring or summer should be pruned in early spring or during the last weeks of winter. Shrubs which bear blossoms on last year's wood should be pruned soon after blooming. Prune evergreens just before new growth starts in spring. |
| To keep perennials bushy and to promote flowering, pinch off old blossoms. After frost has discolored the foliage of your perennials, cut them back to the ground and remove. |
| We hope these guidelines will help you in maintaining your new landscaping. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call us. |
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