Spring Gardening Tips

Follow the 10 tips outlined below for a welcoming garden that's filled                  with color and fragrance -- and song.

Survey the Yard           
 Make note of tree limbs that should be removed or cabled,                        especially those  that overhang structures.                                                                   Hire an arborist to maintain large trees.Cut down last year's                           perennial foliage, and toss it into the compost pile. Rake mulch                          from beds planted with bulbs before  foliage appears, and                               refresh mulch in other planting areas after soil warms.                                        Check fences, steps, and pathways for disrepair caused by                                 freezing and thawing.

Order Tools and PlantsTune up tools so everything is                             ready when things start growing. Make note of what is missing,                          and order tools for the new growing season. Choose new plants                            for the garden. Order perennials, trees, and shrubs for spring planting.

Get Ready to Mow                                                                         Send the mower and leaf blower for servicing, or if you have the                       right tools, sharpen the mower blades yourself. Refill your mower                     with oil, install fresh spark plugs, and lubricate moving parts if                     necessary. Clear the lawn of winter debris, and look for areas                            that need reseeding before mowing.

Prune Trees and ShrubsRemove dead, damaged, and                        diseased branches from woody plants. Thin and trim                                      summer-blooming shrubs such as butterfly bush, hydrangea,                               and most roses, except for old-fashioned once bloomers. Prune                             cold-damaged wood after plants resume spring growth.                                    Prune spring-blooming shrubs and trees after flowering.

Take a Soil TestCheck soil pH with a home soil- test kit,                              taking several samples from different planting areas for an                             accurate reading. Enrich soil as necessary: Add dolomitic                                    lime to raise the pH or elemental sulfur to lower the pH.

Prepare New BedsClear the planting area as soon as soil can                        be worked, removing sod or weeds and debris. Spread a 4-inch layer                   of compost or well-rotted manure and any amendments over soil, and               cultivate it to a depth of 10 to 12 inches with a spading fork.

PlantPlant bare-root trees, shrubs, and perennials such as                             hostas and daylilies by early spring. Choose a cool, cloudy day                               if possible. Transplant container-grown plants anytime during the                 growing season except midsummer; be sure to water them                       thoroughly. Sow seeds of cool-season flowers like sweet peas,                     poppies, and calendula, and vegetables such as lettuce, parsley,                        and spinach.

FertilizeApply balanced fertilizer (6-6-6 or 8-8-8), fish emulsion,                          or other soil amendments recommended by soil-test results around                   trees and shrubs when new growth appears. Spread high-acid                    fertilizer and pine-needle mulch around acid-loving shrubs like                      azaleas and camellias. Begin fertilizing perennials when active                     growth resumes.

Start a Compost PileStart a compost pile, or use a compost bin,                       if you don't have one already. Begin by collecting plant debris and                leaves raked up from the garden. Chop these up first to speed           decomposition. Add equal amounts "brown" (carbon-rich) materials                    like dried leaves and straw and "green" (nitrogen-rich) materials like               grass clippings and weeds in even layers with water and a compost bioactivator. Turn regularly. Continue adding to the pile throughout                    the season for rich, homemade compost next spring.

Clean Bird Feeders and Baths
Disinfect the feeders by scrubbing with weak bleach                                     solution (1/4 cup bleach: 2 gallons warm water). Rinse and                                   dry the feeders thoroughly before refilling them.Scrub birdbaths                          with bleach solution, then rinse them thoroughly and refill,                           changing water weekly. Clean birdbaths and feeders regularly                 throughout the season.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Spring Gardening Tips - Martha Stewart Home and Garden 

Winter Landscape Tips

During the winter, sprinkler irrigation is limited to one assigned day per week. Make sure you water on your assigned watering day.

Watering restrictions also apply to drip irrigation. Sunday is not an optional watering day.

Water in the midmorning to avoid the afternoon winds that keep your sprinklers from hitting their grass target. You also will reduce the risk of icing that can occur if you water during early morning or evening.

Check your sprinklers

Turn on your sprinklers after you mow and scan for broken or misaligned heads, as well as broken pipes. A twisted head could water your sidewalk instead of your grass.

Daylight saving time ends

Don't forget to reset your irrigation clock when daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November. When you're changing your indoor clocks, make sure you also change the time on your irrigation clock. This also is a great time to check your clock's batteries.

Protect new plants

February is usually mild enough to allow you to plant petunias, pansies, snapdragons and other cool-season annuals in a well-drained, highly enriched soil. Adding a protective mulch on the soil around your plants will conserve water so you don't have to water as often. Remember to stake new plants and water them deeply to prevent damage from winds and burning young leaves.

Revive roses

Fertilize established rose bushes now to encourage spring blooms and put down a 3-inch layer of mulch around each plant. Always water before and after applying fertilizer.

Fertilize fruit plants

Peak blooming season is in the spring, and the best time to fertilize fruit trees and grapes is the six weeks before and after they bloom. Fertilize in late winter for the finest fruit.

Protect pipes and hoses

There are several steps you can take to protect the pipes and hoses in your home and landscape from cold weather:

• Disconnect and drain garden hoses when they are not being used.
• Insulate your irrigation backflow device by draping a towel over it and cover with a bucket or other protective cover that touches the ground.
• Wrap exposed irrigation pipes with pipe insulation, insulated "faucet socks," an old towel or duct tape.
• Set heat to 55 degrees when you're away to protect pipes and houseplants.
• Turn off the water valves to your washing machine to avoid flooding from burst hoses.
• Don't leave interior or exterior pipes dripping. Valley temperatures generally don't drop low enough for a long enough period of time to warrant it.
• Locate your water shut-off valve and learn how to turn off water at its source, so you can ward off damage from leaks or burst lines. Know how to turn off your irrigation backflow device as well.

Leave damaged plants alone

If you notice frost or a freeze has damaged a plant, leave it alone until warmer weather arrives and new growth appears. Pruning or transplanting a damaged plant during winter months can hurt or even kill it.

Pruning

The ideal time to prune trees and shrubs is in late winter, when plants are mostly dormant. Finish heavy pruning by mid-February, before buds show evidence of swelling. Don't prune more than one-quarter of the living tissue during the year.

Southern Nevada Water Authority

Are we out of this drought yet?

Although it seems that the rains we have had in Southern California would be more than enough to get us out of a drought- this may not be true. While some reservoirs are able to capture and hold the rain water most of it is not able to be absorbed by the soil after reaching field capacity. Once the saturation point is reached the water simply sheets off down the drains and out to the ocean. Rainwater that precipitates in January is not available in July. Simply stated that water is consumed. To end the drought two major factors need to occur: 1. Rain sporadically all year long 2. Population growth will have to come to a complete stop. Since neither of these is likely we will have to continue to worker smarter to make each drop of water go farther.

Does your contractor do weekly meter readings?

The first rule of water management is weekly water meter readings. If your contractor is not doing this- ask them to deliver these reports. You will save water-Monarch Guarantee. 

Call for a Water Assessment today!

Man killed by fallen tree

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=16317&from=hp_video_3
Not every tree accident can be prevented. However, a proactive tree management plan can prevent many incidents.

Great tips on Power Point Presentations

Remember to have you contractor clear drains, remove branches and turn the sprinklers off during inclement weather. This doesn't have to be wasted time.
http://ow.ly/1ndu6O

Don't Defer Maintenance

This Allepo Pine fell down with no wind or rain within weeks of this occurring. Consider your target when deciding to remove trees in question. This Pine fell safely on the slope.

Removing Passive Turf Areas

So you've taken out your lawn. Now what? 7/18 class at Quail Botanical Gardens in El Cajon covers some options http://tinyurl.com/lwrh62

Drought Timeline

CA Dept. of Water Resources just posted a drought timeline. Chronicles events, impacts in 2007-2009http://tinyurl.com/nb7onh#fb

Summer is rapidly approaching. Have your irrigation work orders, proposals and invoices increased? Hopefully, you hired Monarch and this influx is being minimized. If not, it's not to late to call Monarch. Monarch will assess the 5 biggest budget busters on your property. Mention this blog and Monarch will take 50% off  the cost of that assessment. This offer is good until May 15th. 

SPRING IS HERE

Ahhh. . . the beauty of Spring. Believe or not it's already here. Over the next few weeks soil temperatures will begin to warm and the hours of sunlight will grow increasingly longer. These factors cause new roots and shoots to grow much faster than in the Fall and Winter. It's important to have the following items in place with your contractor:

1. Irrigation Maps- make sure meters valves and controllers are mapped

2. Maintenance Schedule- Where will the crews be an when

3. Watering Schedule

4. Site Inspection- Have a routine site inspection to accomplish last months goals

WET WEATHER TIPS

This picture shows an unusually HIGH soil level. Over the years poor plant coverage and soil runoff can lead to major issues for the community.  Fall, Winter and Spring are a great time to create a master plan for replanting.

A few tips as we head into wet weather.

1. Verify v-ditches and drain have been cleared
2. Don't be fooled by hot weather. The soil is much cooler and the days are shorter - so reduce your watering. 
3. Ask your contractor for a report of the watering schedule for each irrigation timer. 
4. Know which water meters are yours. This will help with early detection of leaks.
5. Catch up on the to-do list for the community. Set up a punch list for the contractor to accomplish by spring.
6. Call Monarch

Fall is here

With the cooler months we typically see a pick up in tree trimming. Due to shorter days, soil cooling and many other reasons the tree is slower to "bleed" after a cut. Trees like Eucalyptus and Pines need to be trimmed in the winter for this very reason. However, many coastal communities allow for trimming all year round.  Monarch provides tree management services that will work in concert with your Arborist.  Trees add tremendous value to your property. Let's make sure we use Certified Arborist who understand the guidelines set forth by the ISA.