A beautiful landscape requires a considerable amount of care. This maintenance guide will give you necessary instruction on proper maintenance of your new landscape.

SOD

Watering:
Sod must be watered evenly and thoroughly daily during daylight hours for the first ten days. Move sprinklers approximately every hour, over-lapping areas already watered to insure complete coverage. Watch for graying, browning and shrinking sod. These signs indicate a lack of water, and if they should occur, increase the amount of water. If daylight watering is not sufficient, night watering may be necessary as a supplement. After the first ten days, water 2 or 3 times a week (day or night) for the next 30 days. Take special care to water steep slopes; watering more often for shorter periods of time to reduce the chance of sod slippage.

Fertilizing:
Fertilize two or three times per year with a standard agricultural fertilizer. Use 16-8-8 in the early spring at the rate of 10 lbs. per 1000 s.f. Use 10-10-10 in the summer and fall at a rate of 10 lbs. per 1000 s.f. When fertilizing in mid-summer, additional watering may be required to prevent burning.

Mowing:
Mow the lawn to 2" as soon as the grass reaches 3". The lawn should not be cut under 2" the first year. A grass catcher or other removal of clippings is recommended.

Weeds:
Weeds may often become a problem two or three weeks after the sod has been laid. Weed seeds cannot be avoided. They are carried by the wind and in the topsoil. Most of the weeks are annuals and will die out after the first winter provided a healthy lawn is properly maintained. If weeds persist, use a lawn sprayer hose attachment and a liquid weed killer containing 2-4-D, following instructions on the can. If weed killers are desired the first year, do not use them before the third mowing.

SEED

Mulch:
The straw mulch covering your newly seeded lawn has the purpose of holding moisture and preventing erosion. If bunching should occur, re-spread, but do not remove. It will decompose and add humus to the soil

Watering:
To have a healthy stand of grass, watering is essential. Once the seed has germinated, keep the soil most until the grass attains 3 inches in height, being careful not to create run-off. If the young seedlings are allowed to die from lack of water, additional seed will have to be spread. Keep the soil most by watering 2 or 3 times a week until seed is established. Established seed should be watered once a week with the equivalent of 1" of rain.

Fertilizing:
Fertilize 2 or 3 times per year with a standard agricultural fertilizer. Use 16-8-8 in the early spring at a rate of 10 lbs. per 1000 s.f. Use 10-10-10 in the fall at a rate of 10 lbs. per 1000 s.f. When fertilizing in mid-summer, additional watering may be required to prevent burning.

Mowing:
Mow the lawn to 2" as soon as the grass reaches 3". The lawn should not be cut under 2" the first year. A grass catcher or other removal of clippings is recommended.

Weeds:
Weed seeds cannot be avoided. They are carried by the wind and in the topsoil. Most of the weeks are annuals and will die out after the first winter. Do not use weed killer the first year. If weeds persist the second year, use a lawn sprayer hose attachment and a liquid weed killer containing 2-4-D, following instructions on the can.

RETAINING WALLS

Boulder Walls:
Weeding is necessary to maintain an attractive boulder wall. However, it can be kept to a minimum by planting the voids or spaces. Sedum, ground junipers, perennials and sumac may be planted in these voids depending on the effect desired. The plants will also help prevent erosion. If erosion does occur between the boulders, bill the spaces with topsoil.

MULCH BEDS

Shredded Bark:
Shredded bark is the best mulch to use for your plants. Bark insulates the roots in summer and winter; it helps hold moisture in the soil; it decomposes, adding nutrients to the soil; and it helps hold down weeds. Some hand weeding is still necessary. If it is done regularly the first year or two, very few weeds will come up in the future. Every three or four years, top dress planting beds with 2-3 inches of new shredded bark.

Stone Mulch:
Hand weeding is necessary to keep mulch beds attractive. Even if mulch is placed over plastic, weeds will come up through holes that have been made to allow water to penetrate down to plant roots. Keep stones picked out of lawn. They can become dangerous projectiles when hit by a lawn mower.

NURSERY STOCK

Watering:
Newly planted nursery stock has a reduced root system. To compensate for the loss of roots, additional watering is essential. Water two times a week with a root feeder for the first three weeks, then once a week until the ground freezes. In sandy soils and during droughts, additional watering may be necessary. Caution: overwatering can be harmful.

Fertilizing:
Fertilizing is generally very beneficial to plants, especially at the time of installation. If Watts Landscape Service has installed your plants, no further fertilizing will be necessary the first year. For established plants, the best times to fertilize are in early spring before the buds elongate, or in the late fall after the leaves have fallen. It is best not to fertilize in summer or early fall because it forces new growth which will not properly harden off before killing frosts.

Winter Protection:
Young trees should be protected from sunscald and frostcrack. Wrap the trees in the fall with burlap or paper tree wrap. Start wrapping from the bottom and wrap to just under the lowest branch. Tie off the wrap to just under the lowest branch. Tie off the wrap with a piece of decomposable twine. The wrap should be put on each fall until the bark becomes rough.
During the winter months, mice and rabbits will chew on the bark of plants. Those most subject to damage are Burning Bush, Flowering Crab, Fruit Trees, Hawthorns, Flowering Plums, Quince, Nanking Cherry, Willows, Hazelnut and Witchhazel. If rabbits are hungry enough, they will feed on other plants as well, so check all plants periodically during the winter. Protect them with a cylinder of wire mesh around each plant at least 24" above snow line.
Protect evergreens from winter burn by watering heavily in late fall. In windy locations burlap screening may be desired.

Shrub Pruning:
New shrubs should be pruned at time of planting to compensate for loss of roots. If Watts Landscape Service installed the plants, this has already been done. For established plants that bloom in early spring, it is best to prune after they flower. Summer flowering plants should be pruned in early spring before growth starts. Plants that require renewal pruning (removal of old heavy canes at ground level) should be done in the dormant season. Some of the plants requiring renewal pruning are Grey and Red Stemmed Dogwood, Lilacs, Forsythia, Honeysuckle, Mockorange, VanHoutte Spirea, and several of the Viburnums.

Tree Pruning:
Trees should be pruned at the time of planting to compensate for loss of roots. You can prune most trees at any time of year. Some trees, like Maples, Walnut and Birch, should be pruned in late spring or early summer to prevent loss of sap. Oaks should be pruned only in dormant season, and only if absolutely necessary. Always prune back to main branch. Do not leave a stub.

Evergreen Pruning:
Evergreens (except Pines) should be pruned in early spring before new growth starts. Look for winter buds and be careful not to prune too much. If you remove all the winter buds from a branch, no new growth will come from that branch. Japanese Yews put on two flushes of growth a year, so they require a second pruning in mid-summer. Pines should be pruned in late spring after new growth has elongated but before needles are fully expanded. Cut back no more than two-thirds of the Pines' new growth.