Archive for the ‘Storm Damage Assistance’ Category
Sing (and Dance!) Out the Old & Ring in the New!
Comments Off
Ice Melt: You Really Do Get What You Pay For….
Rock salt is the cheapest and most basic of ice melting materials but it has many drawbacks for the price. Everyone knows the damage rock salt does to turf, tree & shrubs, concrete, brick, patios, steel and so many more materials. Rock salt is the cheapest ice melt but generally functions in the upper teens to lower 20’s F. Rock salt will do plenty of damage to concrete, patios, grass, trees, and shrubs when exposed to the briny solution as it soaks into the soil. Once spring arrives the moist, salty soil actually creates a drought condition around root systems resulting from the use of rock salt. Although rock salt is a cheap ice melting product, the replacement damage of beloved tree and shrubs far outweigh its regular use. Surprisingly enough, many folks still buy rock salt by the ton due to its “perceived” value as it relates to the price per bag. For a few dollars more, many other ice melting products are available with much less impact to the environment and landscaping materials such as brick, slate, and concrete.
Calcium chloride is a serious ice melting product that works at extreme low temperatures (-25 f), only found in New England on rare occasions. Unfortunately, calcium chloride is a very harsh chemical that requires the use of protective equipment such as gloves to protect against burning exposed skin. Calcium chloride is also very expensive, which brings into question why it would be used over other available products. Storage is important because unless the bags are sealed and kept dry, calcium chloride “melts” into itself by absorbing moisture in the air- thereby coming unusable. Calcium chloride will corrode steel so makes it a poor choice for use on concrete sidewalks. Most calcium chloride pellets are round and therefore roll on inclines unlike crystalline ice melters. While other ice melts can provide physical traction after use, the round pellets of calcium chloride cannot provide any such benefit. Calcium chloride is labeled on the bag as a severe irritant to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract.
There are many environmentally friendly ice melting materials on the market. Unfortunately, because ice melts are not regulated by the Federal government, an associated MSDS sheet can be most vague without exhaustive research. After much research ourselves, we have decided to offer Natural Ice Melt as an alternative to the aforementioned products. Performance must be balanced with cost and benefits depending upon the planned use such as on a driveway, near a valuable landscape or around pets. So the next time you are staring at a pallet of ice melt at the Home Depot, maybe you will think twice before reaching for the lowest price bag because… are you really saving any money? If you have more questions about ice melt, please contact turf@chippersinc.com.
Comments Off
Overcome Those Matted Leaves Despite Snowtober!
Most folks got at least a few inches of snow this past weekend during a record setting October snow storm. The impact on your lawn can be summed up in a few basic scenarios with the first involving moderate to substantial leaf litter on the ground, now snow-covered. Left uncollected, these piles of leaves can be trouble for your lawn as colder weather approaches with snow that will not melt until spring. As soon as you can remove leaf piles and other debris brought down by the heavy, wet snow you should plan on doing so to prevent smothering areas of your lawn. The thicker the leaf pile, the better it will mulch your grass leaving dead spots and bare areas next year.
If you have your driveway plowed, now is a great time to put up stakes marking the edge of the lawn indicating the transition from gravel or pavement to grass. Snow plow damage becomes visible in the spring time as snow recedes, exposing chunks of sod and grass tossed aside to dry out and die. Without help, snow plow operators can have difficulty determining where your driveway ends and the lawn begins. Such an error is commonplace during late night snow storms and can result in significant lawn damage. Using posts, stakes, or sticks can provide a simple, yet effective signal and minimize or prevent the edge of your lawn from being “relocated.”
Even though it is now November, if you got caught with your lawn still needing another cut- say over 3” in height- don’t feel odd pulling out your mower for one last farewell mowing. Many folks can remove leaves and mow simultaneously so this is a great opportunity to “get two birds with one stone” as the saying goes. A clean, short cut in November is one way you can say ‘I love you’ to your lawn before the onset of winter.
Many tree limbs were damaged by the weight of the snow with leaves still turning colors, many of those leaves still green! Be sure to have those branches cleanly pruned to help reduce future insect and disease damage. Of course, remove as many downed branches as you can from your grass, leaving the lawn surface as clean as possible before winter truly arrives. Completing these basic housekeeping items can give your landscape the edge it might need to survive an unpredictable winter.
Comments Off
Our Fall 2011 Newsletter – Hot Off the Press!
GreenWords Newsletter Fall 2011
In this issue: Restore Your Flood Damaged-Landscape & Great Reasons to Schedule Winter Work Now!
Comments Off
Book Winter Work Now for Savings & to Aid Flood Relief Efforts!
OK so we’re definitely not ready yet – the leaves have just barely begun to turn in our service areas – but we know it’s coming…. Winter. Love it or not, want it or not, it’s coming, and we all know it.
This year we are trying to plan our winter work schedule way ahead, and we want to encourage you to do the same by offering you an incentive. Schedule your snow season job before December 1, 2011 for 10% discount on work performed January 1 to March 31, 2012, and we will also donate $50 per Crew Day to the Irene flood relief efforts via either the VT or NH Foodbank, based on where you live.
Accounts that are prepaid for winter work by December 1, 2011 will have a 15% total discount applied.
A Crew Day will be determined on a per project basis by your representative, based on crew needs to perform the desired work. This price reduction does not apply to snow removal services.
Comments Off
How to Restore Your Lawn In Irene’s Aftermath
For those with a home lawn in a flood plain or next to a waterway, removal of as much sediment and silt becomes job one. Many will opt for a professional with equipment capable of moving large volumes of river sediment. This is especially important to the homeowner as there is a high likelihood that the silt and sediment, being of the finest particle size, will trap and contain petroleum products, organic waste, or other undesirable materials. Leaving the removal of such sediment to a professional can provide a measure of comfort to the home owner versus attempting such a daunting task themselves given the inherent risks. After this “river frosting” is removed, the next phase is lawn restoration either this fall or next spring.
Freshly Reseeded Lawn and Hay Spreading
Damaged lawns will fall into two main categories ranging from a complete reinstallation with truck loads of loam down to basic turf treatments like core aeration, calcium lime, and fertilizer. The more extensive the flooding and sediment layer, the more likely loam will need to be brought in, spread out with a tractor, seeded, and then rolled. Any seeding this fall will pay dividends with quicker grass thickening versus having to wait for the soil to warm up and dry out next spring.
In many cases, a complete lawn renovation may well be the best choice compared to trying to patch up or fix thinned out or dead sections of lawn. Attempting to match any existing grasses can leave a calico appearance to a lawn while starting over allows more desirable blends to be utilized yielding a more consistent turf cover. Before proceeding with a complete restoration it may also be the opportune time to decide how much lawn you really want in your planted landscape – do you love it and like the maintenance chores or do you really dream of creating other outdoor living spaces with patios, walkways, and gardens with native flowers, shrubs and trees? Only you can answer this question that Irene has raised….
The second type of lawn repair would be a partial renovation where perhaps the back or front was buried in silt yet or another area simply became either submerged in water or soaked by heavy rain. Given the massive amount of rainfall during hurricane Irene, many soils, particularly sandy ones, will have lost significant nutrient value and will require supplemental treatment of Nitrogen and Potassium. In this scenario, a normal lawn would do well to receive a balanced, low to zero phosphate, slow release fertilizer treatment to aid in improving turf health this autumn.
Any energy stored in October and November will be used to repair and establish a healthy root system prior to winter resulting in a better spring green up (see ‘winterizer’ blog post at mrgrassblog.net). A high calcium lime treatment will aid in softening the soil itself while adjusting soil pH into a desirable range for the new and existing turf. Core aeration is an excellent tool to reduce compacted soil, perhaps even those with some remaining sediment as a coating on the surface of the lawn. These situations can be further improved by overseeding once the lawn is aerated with a superior blend of turf grass.
Most lawns can be seeded into late October and still have some germination prior to winter in a normal growing season. Although you will not see a whole lot going on, taking the shot now is still normally worth the gamble of an early snow. I have seen great lawns emerge in the spring from a late seeding and in the case of this catastrophe, I think the ‘doing’ outweighs the ‘waiting’ in most cases.
Although lawns may rate low on the scale of post-Irene reconstruction compared to bridges, roads, or house repairs, ultimately the job will arise and when it does, doing it right makes more sense than to not.
Comments Off
Irene Aftermath & Resources to Help Those In Need
Unlike many of our friends, neighbors, employees and other businesses, our VT Chippers location suffered relatively minor property damage. We appreciate the many expressions of support and concern coming our way but others are in far greater need. Our crews are currently assisting our communities with all phases of property clean up, debris removal, land restoration, lawn rebuilding, tree re-planting, water distribution, etc. If you want to donate or help, below is a list with a myriad of ways to contribute either time or money. We have several employees who have been displaced from their homes – please email contactus@chippersinc.com or call 866.683.6222 if you have a temporary housing lead in the greater Woodstock area.
DONATIONS
- Text FOODNOW to 52000 to donate $10 to Vermont Foodbank. The Foodbank will turn each donation into $60 for families in need.
- You can donate to the United Way’s Vermont Disaster Relief Fund online, or buy sending a donation to your local United Way. Just make sure your donation is marked for the “Vermont Disaster Relief Fund”.
- You can also donate to the American Red Cross of Vermont and the New Hampshire Valley. The Red Cross set up shelters immediately after Irene hit for flooded-out families to stay in. (Note: While all donations are appreciated, financial donations offer the Red Cross the greatest flexibility for response in this crisis. Donations can be made at www.vermontredcross.org or by calling 800-660-9130. For those who are interested in volunteering, they can contact their operations headquarters at 802-773-9159.)
- The VT Irene Flood Relief Fund is raising money to help people and communities affected by flooding. 100% of all donations will be distributed to businesses and families. The fund is being administered by Todd K. Bailey.
- Vermont Baseball Tours has set up the 8/28 Fund to raise money. Donations of $20 or more get you a cool t-shirt.
- The MRV Community Fund has been reestablished to help Mad River Valley farmers who saw devastating crop losses due to the flooding.
- Independent Vermont Clothing is selling a special “I’m With VT” t-shirt. All profits from sales of the shirt will go to relief efforts.
- I am Vermont Strong is selling t-shirts with that slogan, and all profits from the sales of the shirts will go to the Vermont Foodbank.
- Across the lake, upstate New York got hit hard by Irene, too. Donations are being coordinated on the Irene Flood Drive Facebook page.
- Burr and Burton Academy has started a fund to help relief efforts in the Manchester area.
- The Preservation Trust of Vermont is taking donations to help rebuilding and cleanup efforts for the historic buildings and bridges damaged by Irene. Make a donation on their site and be sure to note “Hurricane Relief” in the Comments section.
- The Intervale Center has started a fund to help the farmers at Burlington’s Intervale who lost their crops to flooding. To make a contribution, donate to the Intervale and designate your donation to the “Intervale Center Farmers Recovery Fund.” Or mail a check payable to Intervale Center Farmers Recovery Fund to the Intervale Center, 180 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT 05401.
VOLUNTEERING
- VTResponse.com is working to connect volunteers ready to help with those that need assistance. If you want to help clean up and rebuild, let the folks behind this site know.
- Woodstock VT Flood Response is coordinating volunteer efforts in that town through their Facebook page.
- Montpelier Alive is coordinating volunteer efforts in that city through their Facebook page.
- Volunteer and cleanup efforts are also being coordinated on Twitter via the #VTresponse hashtag.
- The Vermont Flooding 2011 page on Facebook is functioning as a community bulletin board of sorts.
- Vermont Helping Hands is also coordinating relief efforts via Facebook.
- The Red Cross is in desperate need of blood donations. Stop by their donation center at 32 North Prospect Street in Burlington, or the Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital Blood Donation Center at 125 Mascoma Street in Lebanon, NH.
- Upper Valley Haven is operating with considerably fewer volunteers due to road closings. They’re looking for volunteers who are able to travel there.
MORE RESOURCES
- If you need assistance or information from the state, dial 211 or visit vt211.org.
- The Help Vermont Facebook group is another place to share recovery information.
- Sublet.com will provide free access for people who are displaced from their homes. Call their customer service line at 1-877-367-7368 for more information.
For child care providers who have been affected by Irene, check out the Resources for Relief (Child Care Providers of VT) page on Face
This listing provided in part by the VT Democratic Party.
Comments Off
Attention thisoldyard.net Blog Readers!
Due to the huge spamming efforts directed at this blog we are no longer accepting comments at this site. We want your feedback but we can’t be driven crazy by the hundreds of erroneous comments pouring in everyday! Please visit Chippers Inc. on Facebook or our website: www.chippersinc.com to have your questions or concerns answered. Thank you for your understanding.
Comments Off
Be alert to what’s happening in your landscape….
This week our region has been hammered by intense thunderstorms and many clients have been calling regarding storm damage to trees and shrubs. Sometimes there is no forewarning about which trees in your yard may be vulnerable to high winds, but for others there are signs. Trees that are close to buildings, especially softwoods like pine and fir, are particularly susceptible to storm damage. Specimens with dead or dying limbs spell double trouble. When you have a chance go outside and inspect your mature trees – do you see things that don’t look right to you? If so, contact one of our arborists for a complimentary consultation.
The Color Purple May Save OUr Ash Trees!
Another question that has come up a lot is about the purple boxes hanging throughout the region near stands of mature ash trees. This year the VT Department of Agriculture and the USDA collaborated to hang 2200 traps to monitor any presence of the invasive and destructive Emerald Ash Borer. So far this destructive insect has not reached Vermont but if it does it will be absolutely devastating to our ash trees. The number one preventative measure is ‘DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD’!!! Firewood is a product that should be sourced locally to help keep hidden larvae from getting into the state. You cannot tell if wood is infected with a cursory examination so the best policy is to never import it for any reason.
Last but not least, due to the wet spring conditions we’ve had this year, anthracnose disease is affecting hardwoods such as maple, ash, sycamore and oak. The most noticeable symptom of the fungi is the browning and curling of young leaves. The disease does not usually kill the trees but makes them unsightly and susceptible to other types of damage in the planted landscape. We recommend protective measures performed in the fall to reduce potential exposure the following spring – our consulting arborist has more information: consulting@chippersinc.com.
Typical appearance of leaves infected with anthracnose (photo courtesy of VT Dept of Ag)
Comments Off
Seven Weeks Until Spring Is Still Plenty of Time for Winter Tree Work….
Top 10 Benefits to Performing Tree Work In Your Landscape During the Winter Months:
- Improve Your View: Enhancement work during the dormant season is ideal when leaves aren’t blocking the vista potential.
- Your Lawn Will Thank You: Frozen ground allows large equipment to access your site while minimizing damage to lawns, gardens and the forest floor.
- Prevent Distress: Cold weather prevents the spread of tree disease as well as minimizes shock due to leaf loss.
- Timing Is Everything: February and March are preferred times for orchard and fruit tree pruning, and for many other species.
- Peace of Mind: Know your trees and shrubs are prepared for fast re-growth during the coming spring, no matter what Mother Nature brings.
- Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance: Allows you to begin other spring landscaping projects earlier.
- Seeing Is Believing: Identify potential hazards or problems while the entire woody structure of deciduous trees is visible without leaves.
- Walk or Talk: Discuss your 2011 goals and plans for your landscape with your representative, either on site or via email/phone.
- Our Time Is Yours: Take advantage of more flexible scheduling.
- Outstanding Value: Enjoy off-season rates with the same chippers commitment to the highest quality and service.
We take care of everything green outside your door, all winter long.
What can we do for you?
