Protect your sprinkler system from damage this winter! Frontier Landscaping can help.
Your sprinkler system has no doubt done its duty this year. We’ve had some very dry weather and plants have needed plenty of water. Luckily, the dry summer season is wrapping up and it will soon be time to shut down our sprinkler systems for the year. It is important to properly winterize your irrigation to prevent damage over the winter.
Frontier Landscaping offers professional sprinkler winterization to protect your system and prepare it for winter. To winterize a sprinkler system, we remove all the water from the entire system then shut all the mechanics down for the year. Our landscape irrigation team will go through each zone and blow out or drain 80% of the water from your pipes, heads and backflows so they don’t freeze and crack during the winter. This can save you a TON of money in repairs and new pipe next spring. When it’s time to get going again in the spring, we come back to start it up again, make sure it is working properly and perform Backflow testing to ensure that the water quality is up to standards.
Frontier Landscaping offers full landscape irrigation winterization for all types of systems.
Learn more about our sprinkler services here.
Click here to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!
Each change of season means different chores around the landscape. One important winter chore is taking care of fruit trees. The very best time to do this is between the dormant months of November and February. You can try it yourself or call on the Frontier Tree Service for help.
Why Winter?
Once the weather cools, fruit trees enter a dormant state, where most of its energy is stored in the trunk and center of the tree. It’s possible to remove branches and even large sections without affecting the health of the tree. When they begin to grow again in spring, they can develop new, vigorous shoots!
Why Do Fruit Trees Pruning?
Pruning is so important for proper fruit tree growth and production. It helps to determine the shape of the trees and keep them at a manageable size for harvesting. It also increases fruit production and helps to keep the trees healthy. Tree pruning promotes new, healthy growth and removes old, dead, diseased, and damaged limbs. It helps the tree to develop a strong framework to hold the weight of the fruit and opens up the canopy to allow light into lower branches. Light penetration is essential to flower bud development and also helps fruit to set properly.
Fruit Tree in need of pruning: it needs to be thinned to allow light in as well as shaped for better production.
How Do You Prune A Fruit Tree?
Pruning techniques can differ by species so it is best to do some research before attempting this on your own. Find out if your tree sets fruit on old wood or new wood as this will help determine where to making pruning cuts. You also need to determine how often your tree needs to be pruned and how severely to cut it back. By researching your tree types, you can learn a lot about their individual needs.
Note: Even young fruit trees need pruning! In fact, some of the most important pruning cuts are made in the first 5 years of a tree’s life, as it determines its lifelong shape.
Frontier Tree Service Can Help
Frontier Tree Service has experts on staff that understand the pruning needs of different varieties of fruit trees. We can work them into the shape and size you need, while increasing the health of the tree. Contact us today to consult about your trees.
You can prevent spring weeds by stopping them before they even sprout! Consider applying pre-emergent to your flower beds to catch weeds early.
We all work hard, each year, to keep strong and vigorous weeds from taking over our flower beds and planting areas. They are unsightly and, worse, they compete for sunlight and nutrients with the plants we love. That is why it can be a good idea to prevent spring weeds from ever taking a foothold in your landscape.
Most weeds produce seeds in the summer and fall, spreading themselves all over your yard. These seeds are dormant in the soil throughout the winter until the temperatures heat up again in springtime. Pre-emergent herbicide application will prevent seed germination by inhibiting a key enzyme in the seed. They stop those overwintering weed seeds from ever growing.
Timing is everything!
It is crucial to catch weeds before they germinate. A warm spell in February can mean that it is already too late. We recommend applying pre-emergent herbicide to your landscape and planting beds in January for the best results. Apply a thorough dose to your entire property to give you an incredible jump start on a beautiful, weed-free garden this year!
Frontier Landscaping provides year-round services to our friends in Vancouver and Portland Metro Areas. We offer more than just landscaping and maintenance. We can also take care of you throughout the winter season! We are available during storms and emergencies and in the days following.
Give us a call anytime! 888-544-5006
We clear the way for you!
Winter Services:
Snow Plowing:
We provide snow plowing services during and after snow storms. You can call on us to plow your driveway, your parking lot or business roads and even little side streets that are not on main plow routes. Our safe, expert drivers are prepared to face the elements to help you get where you need to go.
Ice Melting:
We are equipped to come out in any weather to de-ice your surfaces and make it safer for walking and driving. We can come apply deicer to your driveway, parking lot, walkways, sidewalks and more. We are happy to serve both residential and commercial properties. There have been some icy mornings lately!
Tree Emergencies:
Frontier Tree Service is on call 24/7 during storms and throughout the entire year. We can come remove fallen trees and branches from homes, yards, power lines and any building. Our skilled team works quickly to repair damage and protect your property.
When you need help, we are here. Call us! 888-544-5006
While you never know what Mother Nature has in store, we are hoping that we have made it through the worst of winter for this year. We are likely on the downhill slide into spring and there is a lot to look forward to- and lots to be done! We have a few February landscape tips for you, as well as a few recommendations for fabulous winter trees.
Storm Clean-up:
We’ve had some wind, heavy rain AND snow in the last month. How has your yard held up? It’s important to clean up after storms to prevent further damage and to eliminate potential hazards. Branches, twigs and leaves that come down need to be cleaned up and either chipped and used as mulch or disposed of in the yard waste bin. If your yard needs help recovering from storm damage, you can call on our Maintenance crew to clean up the mess! If you have damaged or down trees, our Tree Service is here to help. Contact us for a quote today!
Winter Trees:
Winter is a great time for planting trees and plants! The ground in the Northwest rarely freezes and plants can adjust to their new homes in cool temperatures rather than heat, which can be more difficult to withstand. Less stress on the tree means that it is less susceptible to disease, pests and other problems. Winter planting has the added bonus of letting Mother Nature help out with the bulk of the watering!! Frontier Landscaping can help you choose and plant the trees that are right for your landscape! Call us at (888) 544-5006 or write us to get a new tree in your yard!
The Coral Bark Maple (pictured above) is a handsome little tree with delicate, yellow-green leaves in the spring that morph into a charming display of peachy golden splendor in the autumn. Coral Bark is true to its name: its brilliant reddish-ginger branches are delightful all year round but their beauty really shines in winter. Learn more about this tree by clicking here. Hogan Cedar is a nice smaller evergreen that has bronze foliage in the winter and it can take the place of the Leyland cypress for hedges. Although it grows slower, it won’t buckle and look bad as it gets older especially under heavy ice and snow.
Weed Maintenance:
Stop weeds before they start this year! February is a good time to put down a pre-emergent herbicide. This is a process that keeps the weeds from germinating and can be used on your lawn, garden or around existing plants. Many weed seeds will begin to germinate when the soil reaches 50° F. Sometimes, those sunny winter days can warm the soil enough to start that process. So, get a jump on things and get that pre-emergent on!
What else are you working on in the yard this month? Did anyone have damage from the storms? How about bulbs- any early arrivals poking up their heads? Leave a comment below and tell us what’s going on in your landscape! Or head on over to Facebook and leave a comment or photo on our wall!
We are lucky to have generally mild weather in our area. Yes, we get lots of rain but rarely do we get heavy snow storms, ice storms and high winds. However, they do happen on occasion and, because they are so infrequent, most people are caught off guard and are unprepared to deal with the aftermath. We came up with a handy list of tips to help you cope with the chaos of a winter storm.
Tip #1: Don’t let the snow build up in your driveway or parking lot. If we receive any accumulation, it’s best to shovel or plow it aside quickly to prevent heavy build up and ice formation. Call Frontier Landscaping in to help! We offer expert snow plowing services for both residential and commercial properties. We can also apply ice melt, to ensure that your home or business stays safe!
Tip #2: Keep a tap running slightly. Turn on a faucet to a light, steady drip to keep pipes from freezing or bursting if the temperatures really drop. This is an easy method that can prevent a huge, costly mess.
Tip #3: Try not to drive until roads have been cleared. Driving on snowy, icy unpaved roads can lead to all sorts of costly and dangerous accidents. It’s really safer just to stay home, if you can.
Tip #4: Wait until the storm is over then survey and possibly repair any damage to trees and shrubs. It’s dangerous to go out into the middle of the storm, as limbs and branches may still come down. When it has run its course, you can go out and assess the situation. Clean up fallen limbs (if they are small) and debris, while surveying the remaining trees for damage, distress and danger.
Tip #5: Cover and shield sensitive plants. This works especially well if you can get to them before the storm hit. Any containers can be moved into the garage or on the porch. Plants in soil can be covered with sheets, blankets, row cover, mulch, plastic buckets or pots, just about anything. The idea is to insulate them and shield them physically from oncoming hail, wind, falling branches, etc.
Tip #6: Call Frontier Tree Service’s 24 hr hotline if you think your trees are in danger! 360-601-5766
Watch for:
- Any trees or limbs that have come down.
- Any cracked/dangling branches.
- Anything that is leaning or resting on a power line.
