Archive for March, 2010

Time to Take Action

Published by Mr. Grass on March 27th, 2010 - in Arborist, Plant Health Care, Pruning, Turf

Spring is in the air and now is a super time to invest just a few moments for planning a landscape improvement project.  The first step to success is gathering proper information from experts that will pay dividends later in the season.  Some companies, like ours, will provide complimentary site evaluations for your trees, shrubs and turf.  The question then becomes: where to begin?  Start with a priority- what is important to you?  What would you like to see look healthier, greener perhaps, or is there a hazardous tree leaning in the wrong direction?  An expert will see things you simply cannot and save you lots of time and effort working on dead-end projects or applying products that will not work.

As a rule, many trees can be pruned to remove hazards, reduce disease, and provide both structural and aesthetic value.  A landscape can be improved “as is” with proper fertilization and/or treatments to reduce insect and disease issues.  If your current landscape is dying, dead, or unhealthy, get input on why things went south or better yet, what shrubs would be better replacementS for the site?  Get a free quote on the cost of installation, plant guarantee, and types of shrubs/trees used for maximum value in terms of flowering and hardiness.  Improving your yard not only provides visual enjoyment to you, the homeowner, but it raises the value of your property and can promote native birds and other desirable wildlife.  And, it just plain feels good!

The lawn is often the most affordable improvement in terms of quick visual impact.  Most turf areas can be improved “as is” and do not require costly major renovations.  Often a basic plan of natural fertilizer, calcium lime, kelp, and aeration with overseeding can really provide a dramatic impact within months if not weeks versus years for trees.  Lucky for you, we provide free estimates in all of these areas.  So pickup that phone or click on your e-mail account and make the first step: ask for help!  You won’t regret the time spent and even if you decide not to do a single thing this year, you will have a written plan on how to improve your own little paradise!

For more information, sign up for our free email newsletter at our website www.chippersinc.com. It is packed with nuggets you can use all year long!  Good luck and may this be your best summer yet!

Sapsuckers – Friend or Foe?

Published by Mr. Tree on March 17th, 2010 - in Arborist, Plant Health Care

I have been dealing with tree pests for many years – battling their hungry insect minions seeking to devour the trees in my care. My quiver is filled with an assortment of armaments and at times I relish the battle. There is an enemy though, a pest of another family… Picidae – the woodpecker family.

I like woodpeckers – and still have fond memories of Woody Woodpecker.  I’m also a fan of the large, loud and in my opinion, wonderful pileated woodpecker. But there is a woodpecker that lurks in your wood – and it likes the blood of your favorite trees (sap actually).

OK, it’s a sapsucker – from the genus Sphyrapicus and it could be the reason your birch, maple, apple and even some evergreens trees might be ailing. Sapsuckers prefer healthy, sweet sapped trees, and at times have no interest in insects. The numerous holes resulting from the bird’s borings are often too much damage for the tree to overcome – and the loss of the tree or affected stem is common.

If only the bird could be trained to feed on River birch!

Yellow- Bellied Sapsucker <- Click here to listen to the bird on audio!

Woodstock Farm On YouTube

Published by Mrs. Chippers on March 11th, 2010 - in Arborist, Land Enhancement, Landscaping, Turf

Our Woodstock Chippers team was responsible for the land enhancement, tree preservation and turf care services seen in the views from every window of this client’s beautiful construction and land restoration project. Way to go ChipWood!

Chippers Client Portfolio: Woodstock Farm

Why Turf Is Not Just Vanilla

Published by Mr. Grass on March 5th, 2010 - in Turf

I often read articles describing lawns as boring or requiring too much effort to maintain. These comments cannot go unchallenged by those of us who love lush, green grass because turf is far from vanilla in flavor in terms of environmental, functional, and health benefits. More importantly, all of these benefits can be achieved using natural products to improve and work with your existing lawn. Turf is more than just grass and it is anything but boring: try golfing or playing catch on ground covers or flowers!

The Environment
A healthy lawn reduces water runoff and soil erosion that in turn protects our lakes and streams from sediment moving from the land into the water. Turf is a living filter that protects ground water quality through a vast network of roots, thatch, and leaves. A healthy lawn will also absorb six times as much rainfall as a common hay field, and sustainable grass entraps pollutants with the help of soil microbes and biodegrades them safely.
Functional
A healthy lawn dissipates heat and reduces the energy required to cool homes and buildings, thus saving resources, and turf grasses abate noise and reduce glare too. A mown lawn decreases habitat for disease-carrying ticks and reduces fire hazards near wooded areas. Additionally, well maintained turf grasses reduce injury from sports played at home, school, or elsewhere. A well cared for lawn is actually a low cost asset that can be physically used or enjoyed for pure viewing pleasure.
Health
Studies show the cycle of growing grass and the color green lift human spirits and provide both thoughts and feelings of happiness, privacy, and serenity. Well maintained turf is known to have therapeutic effects on humans as measured by heart rate and blood pressure, thereby increasing the recovery rate of hospital patients.

There are some who prefer alternatives to grass in their landscapes for a variety of personal reasons. But for those of us who love turf, with today’s eco-friendly care and maintenance techniques, we can have our green and feel good about it too!

Find A Need, Plant A Seed: Our 2010 Community Beautification Initiative

We believe in contributing to the communities that sustain us.  Although we always sponsor and donate to many local causes and charities throughout the region, this year we also want to make a direct contribution to the beautification of our community spaces with the actual professional green care services we provide: tree, turf, soil, land and forest. Projects can range from tree planting to natural turf enhancement, from pruning and cabling to field mowing.

Project requests for up to a day’s worth of gratis Chippers work should be submitted in writing to Mundy Wilson, Business & Marketing Manager, Chippers Inc., 1241 Pomfret Road, Woodstock, VT 05091 or via email: contactus@chippersinc.com, by May 1, 2010. Please put ‘Plant A Seed’ in the subject line of your email.

Suggested projects should fall within a 10 mile radius of each of these towns: Meredith, New London and Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Woodstock, Vermont; all requests must be for properties within the public domain; and all requests should fall within the scope of services we provide. Please be as specific as possible in your proposal. Visit our website www.chippersinc.com for ideas about what we actually do before you make your request, please! Accepted projects will be notified by June 1, 2010.

Bring on the beauty of 2010!


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