The Meredith News wrote a very nice piece about our Arbor Day planting and dedication ceremony at Prescott Park in memory of Phil French. We are grateful to Bill Collins of Collins Tree Service and the NH Arborists Association, and the Town of Meredith Parks and Recreation Department, for making this event possible. Click on the link below to read the original article.
Arbor Day Planting for Phil French
May is a great month to help your lawn move forward by aerating and seeding it afterward, often called overseeding. This is normally a great time to aerate because the moisture content in the soil is high, allowing wonderful plugs to be removed by the assistance of deeper penetration by the machine. Dry, compacted soil is very difficult to aerate even with professional grade equipment. While you can rent small aerators, they are not the same in terms of weight, width, and tine health (length of the steel hollow spikes). I maintain new tines on our machines that are key in breaking up the soil by removing 1″ diameter plug up to 3-4″ in depth. Why aerate?
Benefits of Aeration.
- Increases moisture penetration
- Enhances oxygen exchange (important for healthy roots)
- Reduces soil compaction (especially soils high in clay)
- Facilitates penetration of fertilizers and other lawn products
- Increases rate of thatch decomposition
- Enhances root development
Want more turf information? Visit Mr. Grass….
The Green Industry needs your help to plant millions of trees! The Small Business Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act (H.R. 4509) would reauthorize the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) “National Tree Planting Program.” Administered by the SBA, this matching grant program would leverage federal resources to allow state forestry agencies to contract with local nurseries, arborists and landscape professionals to plant trees around retail storefronts, rental housing complexes and community parks. During the program’s brief existence in the 1990s, more than 18,000 companies were employed to plant more than 23 million trees across the country. These projects created green industry jobs, promoted energy efficiency, contributed invaluable environmental benefits and made retail and commercial areas more appealing.
The program is under consideration for funding again, and we need your help! Passage of H.R. 4509 would reauthorize SBA’s National Tree Planting Program at $50 million annually for FY2011 through FY2015. In addition, H.R. 4509 would provide the funding necessary for the costs of administering the program, a past oversight that led to the program’s demise over a decade ago. This is our chance to demonstrate that our industry stands ready to deliver on federal investments in green infrastructure. Congress must hear from you, your employees, your colleagues, your family and your friends to make this bill a reality.
A House version of the SBESA Act, H.R. 4509, was introduced by Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) on January 26. Yesterday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a Senate version.
Elected representatives listen to messages from voters back in their states. Contact your U.S. House or Senate Member today and urge them to support Small Business Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act.
May is the ideal month to think about tick control measures for the upcoming season because the adults are waking up and crawling out in search of food – animals or you! While you may see a typical Dog Tick, you are not likely to see a Deer Tick, a primary vector of Lyme Disease. Therefore, treating your turf around the house and into the perimeter of fields or woods is an excellent means to reduce the adult population before they mate and seek out a blood meal. With the mild winter we just experienced this could be a banner year for all kinds of ticks in NH and VT.
Most tick control products work for 2-5 weeks depending upon the rate and type of material used. In fact, many new products are used in pet supplies and products found at your local pet or farm/garden supply store. If you don’t want to apply over-the-counter products yourself, the key to safety is using a responsible, licensed lawn care company like ours. You must have a license in NH or VT to treat for ticks, even if you use an organic or natural product! If you are targeting a pest, you must have insurance and have the training needed to treat for ticks. So before you try this yourself, you might want some advice from a professional.
Additional recommendations for tick control: keep grassy and weedy areas trimmed, and remove wood piles to reduce harborage for tick hosts. When entering potentially infested areas such grassy pastures, prairies, and woodlands wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers with tight-fitting cuffs. Wear light-colored clothing because ticks are easier to see on a light background. When you are not adequately prepared as described above, avoid these tick-infested areas and restrict movement of your children and pets in these locations. I know: very hard to do! Enjoy the outdoors, but be sure to always use an insect repellent to help protect your family and friends.
For more information visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‘Stop Ticks’ page of their website.
