Archive for Community Service
Plant Trees and Shrubs That Add Interest to a Garden in Winter
Tons of homeowners run down to their local nursery to pick up shrubs and small trees for their garden design. You can actually find some great deals by purchasing cold-hardy plants, shrubs and trees out of season, so to speak, prior to the thermometer dropping in September and October.
The problem is that these same homeowners don’t exactly know what to do with their cold-hardy plants and shrubs or whether they can set to work planting them in late fall and early winter or if they have to wait until the weather warms up in spring to put on their gardener’s hat.
How to Deal with Cold-Hardy Trees, Plants and Shrubs
What you may not know is that a variety of shrubs, plants, perennials, and trees can survive and even thrive in – what the USDA terms – the coldest planting zones in the country.
So, the question no doubt on the minds of everyone in these more frigid hardiness zones is whether to keep your trees and shrubs in pots throughout the cooler months or whether you can get started in late fall.
The answer’s that you can choose to do either, but you can definitely set to work right now, start planting in the late fall, and beautify your garden and outdoor decor throughout the winter and into the verdant spring months. Evergreen shrubs and hawthorn are two popular options.
What you still want to do, though, is manage your expectations and perhaps set your sights lower than a veritable Garden of Eden springing up in the crisp winter months. Here’s how to get started:
- Follow Nature’s Lead
You would be very hard-pressed to find potted plants, much less artificial ones, growing wild out in nature.
Taken that to its logical extension, your plants and shrubs will typically be healthier and happier by being put into the ground than staying in a plastic pot in your garage throughout the winter season.
- What Should I Plant?
Evergreen garden shrubs are but one example of resilient shrubs that can really add another dimension to your garden and front lawn during the winter without causing too much heartache in terms of worry or added energy you have to expend to make it happen.
Both conifer trees and evergreen shrubs can make it through winter in one piece, and the needle-leaf style of evergreen shrubs are normally considered more robust in cold-hardy climates.
Yew and Juniper are two kinds of evergreen garden shrubs that are resilient, tolerant to cold temperatures and drought conditions, yet really benefit from developing their root networks early in the fall (if you’re thinking about planting these early) as opposed to waiting until early-to-mid spring.
Deciduous trees like the Japanese Maple, eucalyptus, birch or hawthorn tree can even demonstrate fruit growth in the winter, which really adds a splash of color and interesting contrast against the icicles and powdery, white winter snow.
- Going About It the Right Way
Year-round plants, shrubs and trees don’t actually need the extra shot in the arm that less hardy flora might.
There’s no need to use a crazy amount of fertilizer or growth agents in the late fall to get the most out of these trees and shrubs throughout the winter.
Still, realize that many of these flora grow upwards and their root networks are delicate at this early stage. Try not to move around or prune these shrubs early in their development.
Much and a little water in the fall are probably all these plants need to avoid desiccation and thrive for you year-round. Contact us today for more tips or help in getting started.
Plant Maintenance : Sprinkler Systems, Irrigation Controllers
A home plant maintenance system might just be the most worthwhile outdoor home improvement project going today. An automated sprinkler system – brought under your control with an irrigation controller – beautifies your entire lawn and garden and makes having guests over a pleasure instead of something to fret over.
Irrigation systems are designed to efficiently deliver water straight to your roots without squandering water and overwatering, which can cause its own set of problems. You really want to avoid overwatering since waterlogged soil precludes your roots from absorbing oxygen and really flourishing.
How Homeowners Benefit By Automating Their Irrigation
Without a home automated sprinkler system or drip irrigation system loaded with sensors and brought under your control with an irrigation controller, it can be difficult to determine what exactly the right amount of water for your lawn and garden.
An automated system with controllers and sensors, in short, allows you to have greater peace of mind and save potentially hundreds of hours every year on watering and manual maintenance that could otherwise be automated and strictly measured with Smart controllers and sensors.
- Irrigation Controllers For Your Home
Automated sprinkler systems outfitted with an irrigation controller and sensors to detect soil, water and weather conditions greatly benefit homeowners and business owners alike. You may have heard irrigation controllers called “irrigation timers,” and that’s because these controllers can kickstart your automated sprinkler system at just the right time, every time.
An irrigation controller works with automated sprinkler systems as well as more traditional drip irrigation systems.
The reason homeowners are increasingly choosing to use irrigation controllers in their lawns and gardens is because they want to have the autonomy to set the exact starting time of watering cycles and alter the frequency and duration of daily irrigation based around their needs and changing seasons.
Every home is different and has different irrigation needs: You may have a home in an arid area that needs longer and more frequent home irrigation or a home in a temperate climate that gets plenty of rain and sunshine.
You might also have a larger lawn or garden with flowers, plants, and vegetables that would do well with a little bit of water throughout the day. Irrigation controllers let you have that control and deliver just the right amount of nourishment that your home, lawn and garden need.
- Get It Just Right With Sensors Too
Imagine this scenario: You have your automated home sprinkler system installed, you’re feeling good about your lawn, garden and the shrubs in front of your home, and you even have an irrigation controller setup that allows you to control the duration, time and frequency of your daily watering regimen.
Things are looking good…but can you improve things further? Can you virtually eliminate the possibility of overwatering?
The answer’s yes you can: automated sprinkler systems that use both sensors and irrigation controllers allow you the most control. How? Irrigation controllers essentially set the basic framework that you and your landscape maintenance company have determined is the best for your home’s or workplace’s lawn.
Controllers then fine-tune the process by giving your real-time rain and weather information that can tell your automated system to deliver more water (e.g., in drought-like conditions) or less water when your lawn is in danger of being overwatered. As we discussed above, overwatering can be just as detrimental as underwatering.
An automated sprinkler system or drip irrigation system with an irrigation control and sensors gives you more options, virtually eliminates the chances of over/underwatering, and allows you to efficiently bring the best out of your lawn, garden, home and workplace. Contact us for more lawn care tips.
Use a Weed Eater and Get Rid of Pesky Shrubbery
If your property is saddled with unsightly shrubs that just keep getting in the way of the rest of your landscaping or even your walkways, the solution is our weed eater service. Shrubbery has a tendency to overgrow in every which way, causing all sorts of havoc. This is a common problem that can be cleared up by our weed maintenance team.
Do Yourself a Favor and Ally With the Weed Control Experts
Unruly shrubbery has the potential to ruin an otherwise beautiful yard. The weed control aficionados here at DK Landscaping know all the nuances about weed control products and weed control strategies. We will prevent wayward shrubs and weeds from overflowing onto surrounding components of your landscape. If you have any questions as to what the best way is to manage those pesky shrubs, do not hesitate to reach out to our experts. We know the ins and outs of weed control products as well as weed eating machines. Allying with our team has the potential to save you plenty of time, money and heartache.
Don’t Torture Yourself Attempting to Manage Shrubs by Hand
DK Landscaping has all the equipment that is necessary to get rid of those unruly shrubs once and for all. Too many homeowners make the mistake of trying to manage shrubs and weeds by hand. This is a waste of time and effort. You can trust our team to use our state of the art weed eaters to put an end to your shrub problem. It is a quite an easy solution compared to attempting to find a product that will keep those shrubs under control or using your hands to remedy the issue.
Our Weed Eater Equipment
DK Landscaping refuses to use anything but the highest quality metal blade edgers to trim shrubs and other aspects of customer lawns. This style of cut allows for superior precision and control to generate the cleanest possible cut. It is a stark contrast from our competitors who use string edgers that create wavy edges and ugly wide gaps. Such wavy edges and gaps look terrible and allow for conditions in which weeds and shrubs grow in all directions. You can rely on our shrubbery and weed experts to use our weed eaters with great care. Our team is well aware of the fact that these powerful machines move at speeds topping 4,000 revolutions per minute.
Shrub Beds are Quite Sensitive
There is absolutely no point in attempting a do it yourself (DIY) style shrub maintenance job in which you pluck shrubs/weeds out of the ground. Hand weeding actually leaves the roots intact so those annoying weeds and shrubs will keep on growing right back. Furthermore, using a low quality weed fabric will allow weeds to break through. Even attempting a DIY mulch job has the potential to exacerbate your shrub and weed problem. If you do not select the proper type of mulch, it will affect the soil’s warmth and consequently impact the growth rate of your shrubs.
DK Landscaping is Here to Help
You are not alone in your battle with these disorderly shrubs. When you ally with DK Landscaping to eliminate those pesky shrubs, you will no longer feel disappointed and annoyed when you look at your property’s landscaping. Our weed eaters will get right down to the core of the problem so you don’t have to invest one more second in shrub management. Reach out to DK Landscaping today to schedule a consultation and/or an appointment. We’ll discuss our services in-depth with you and provide a quote. Contact us today by dialing 707-280-3632.
Boys and Girls Club
DK Landscaping received a call from the Rotary Club called asking if we were interested in assisting them with selecting the proper mulch for the Boys and Girls Club of Rohnert Park’s vegetable garden. Kathy Lee then met with the club’s director, Micki Jones.
While meeting with Micki Jones, Kathy looked around noticed everything was overgrown and looked like a jungle. Upon learning that no one was caring for their landscape due the City of Rohnert Park’s budget cuts, Kathy asked if DK Landscaping can be a corporate sponsor and donate our services.
DK Landscaping is now a proud corporate sponsor and official landscaper of the Boys and Girls Club of Rohnert Park. We donated 20 man hours and cleaned up their jungle. We also spread a bunch of mulch on their flower beds. We are performing maintenance on a weekly basis– 100% donated.
We are also donating an additional $25 to the club with each new maintenance account that we sign up. The minimum we will donate for 2012 is $500 regardless of how many new maintenance accounts we get. If the amount is more than $500 they will get the larger amount.
Cotati Police K-9 Dog Fundraiser
The Cotati Police department’s newest police K-9 is Koda, a 2 ½ year old German Shepherd from the Czech Republic. Koda was acquired by the police department in October 2008 after the unexpected death of police K-9, “D’JANGO” who died on July 22, 2008 from an allergic reaction to a bee sting. In an outpouring of generous support, individuals and businesses throughout Sonoma and Marin Counties donated the funding necessary to purchase Koda and sent him to 10 weeks of training with his handler, Officer Christopher Kaupe.
DK Landscaping contributed the following:Corporate sponsor
- Corporate Sponsor
- Printed, mailed and emailed out hundreds of letters and flyers to neighborhoods and sphere of influence.
- Team of four volunteered for the day of the event.
To read more on this story, go to: http://www.ci.cotati.ca.us/sections/police/k9.cfm
Battle of the Brews
For 16 years, the Active 20-30 Club of Santa Rosa has held the Battle of the Brews fundraiser. This annual event draws an estimated 1,800 attendees each year, and represents a unique opportunity to enjoy one of the largest beer tastings in Northern California while at the same time helping to change the lives of needy children in Sonoma County. All proceeds of this event are placed into Active 20-30’s Youth Benevolent Fund.
The Active 20-30 called upon DK Landscaping for plants to soften up the venue located at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. DK Landscaping teamed up with The Urban Tree Farm and donated plants for this annual event.
Senior Citizen Assistance
Santa Rosa senior, Barbara who was fighting skin cancer needed assistance due to a storm that damaged her tree. Barbara was on a fixed income and could only afford 1/4 of the service. DK Landscaping donated the full service.
Mike Desmond, manager of Horizon supplied material to DK Landscaping at cost.
A Holiday Concert for Sara
The community of Rohnert Park came together in a festive celebration of the holidays at Sonoma Mountain Village. The concert raised money for the family of Sara Baker who was a young woman involved in a horrific Highway 101 traffic accident on October 24, 2007.
David and Kathy Lee of DK Landscaping donated the following:
- $250.00 in cash
- Three Christmas Trees and decorations
- Volunteered their time for the event
- Printed and mailed over 200 flyers with a cover letter to promote the event
- Emailed and distributed flyers within our sphere of influence and the neighborhoods
- Lined up Rohnert Park Public Safety to provide Santa Claus & Sled combination
- Lined up volunteers for cleanup duty
- Provided free landscaping service to Sara’s mom.
Gail’s Story
David and Kathy Lee of DK Landscaping donated their services to a widow, named Gail as she fought cancer and who was faced a financial hardship. Gail had to move out of her Rohnert Park home, rent it out and relocate to a low income housing unit.
During her time of need, DK Landscaping cleaned, fixed and upgraded the irrigation system and maintained her landscaping for 1.5 years until her passing.
Tamar’s Story
Tamar moved with her partner from Colorado to California to pursue new careers. They rented a nice place in Santa Rosa. After some time, her partner went in a different direction and Tamar did not have the financial resources to remain at the rental. Tamar had to downsize and move to a lower cost rental.
The old place was weed free when they started renting it and the property manager expected it to be weed free upon the end of their lease. Her partner left the entire gardening chore to Tamar. Prior to moving out, Tamar worked her fingers to the bone to get the yard back to an an acceptable level. After Tamar has already settled in her new rental, the old property manager informed Tamar that the landscape was not acceptable and must be corrected within a few days. That is when Tamar contacted DK Landscaping.
Tamar was stressed out over her move from Colorado, a new career, her partner going in a different direction, moving out of the old place, moving in to the new place, and the pressure from the old property manager as well as, financial constraints — the landlord will not return her deposit.
After hearing Tamar’s story from her sister in-law, Misty, DK Landscaping decided to perform the job as a community service event. We cleaned up the rental to satisfy the landlord so that Tamar’s security deposit would be refunded.
