Prunus Domestica “Mount Royal” (European Blue Plum)

The Prunus Domestica “Mount Royal”, more commonly known as the European Blue Plum, is a small European plum tree. Growing typically from 15-20 feet tall, the tree performs best in full sun, with average, medium moisture soil. Plum trees provide a beautiful centerpiece to your yard throughout the year. In the springtime, the tree bursts into a bloom of white flowers. In the late summer and early fall, the trees bear a heavy crop of medium sized plums. The fruit can be eaten right off of the tree, or preserved and made into jam.

To have the European Blue Plum planted in your yard ready for the spring season, we can help! Give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or request an estimate today!

Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence' (Provence Lavender)

Provence Lavender is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean that blooms in mid to late summer. Provence Lavender is a wonderfully hearty plant. It especially thrives in open sun and heat, performing the best in poor, well-drained soil. The plant is best known for its pungent fragrance. Its smell drives away deer and pest insects and attracts desirable pollinating bugs.

The fall is the best time to plant Provence Lavender for the following season. If you want Provence Lavender planted in your garden, give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or request an estimate online today!

Tips and Tricks: Winter Lawn Care

It is October in Rochester, and even though we may not like it, the weather will soon turn cold and we won’t see our lawns until next spring. Even though winter is almost here, there is plenty of work you can do to help your lawn look extra beautiful for the spring! Here are a few tips for how you can help your lawn during the winter.

Keep your yard clean

A good, thorough fall cleanup is critical to making your lawn look great for the spring. Leaving anything in your yard before snow falls will cause dead spots to form in your yard. Make sure to clear all yard waste from your lawn as well as move any lawn furniture or other objects left out in the lawn over the summer.

Aerate and Fertilize

One great way to get a jump on getting your lawn beautiful is to aerate and fertilize your lawn before the winter. First, you should aerate your lawn. By aerating your lawn, you will give your lawn a chance to breathe before it is covered with snow and will release any compaction built up over the summer. After you aerate your lawn, it’s time to fertilize! Fertilizing your lawn will help replenish the nutrients that your grass has lost over the long and hot summer months. Once the ground freezes, the fertilizer will be frozen with it and feed your grass all winter long! While you can aerate and fertilize your lawn by yourself, we reccomend that you get help from a professional. To request an estimate from Ted Collins, give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or visit us at tedcollinst-l.com.

Mowing

It is best to keep your lawn as short as possible during the winter months. If your lawn is left tall, it will attract mice and other rodents trying to find food and a comfortable place to eat. These animals can destroy your yard, creating nests of dead grass and making brown dead spots in your lawn. Over the last few weeks of the summer going into fall, start to cut your lawn increasingly lower and lower to avoid shocking your grass. Before the winter, make sure to give your lawn once last short cut.    

Acer palmatum "Wolff" (Japanese Maple)

Acer palmatum 'Wolff', commonly known as the Japanese Maple, is a deciduous tree native to the island of Japan. The tree is famed for its foliage, dark red throughout most of the year and blazing scarlett during the fall. Its Emperor I cultivar is extremely hardy, fantastic at withstanding damage from late frosts. The maple does best in partial to full sun in soil that is slightly acidic and well drained. The Japanese Maple is a wonderful addition to any garden or yard, but looks especially good as a centerpiece in a small yard or a Japanese style rock garden.

To have the Japanese Maple planted in your yard ready for the spring season, we can help! Give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or request an estimate today!

Salix integra "Hakuro Nishiki" (Dappled Willow)

The Salix integra ‘Hakuro Nishiki’, commonly known as the Dappled Willow, is a deciduous plant native to Asia. The Dappled Willow can either be grown as a shrub or as a small tree depending on the technique of cultivation. This compact plant supports an abundance of pink, white, and green toned leaves, which turn yellow in the fall. The Dappled Willow is extremely easy to grow, easy to care for, and deer resistant. The Willow does best in full sun to part shade in fertile, moist, well-drained soil.

To have the Dappled Willow included in your landscape installation for the spring, give us a call today at (585) 381-9000 or request an estimate online today!

Tips and Tricks: Fall Maintenance

Think your yard doesn’t need any attention during the fall? Think again! The fall is one of the most critical times of the year for maintenance. The work you put in in the fall will pay dividends to the appearance of your garden in the spring. Here are some small tasks to take care of in the fall that will make a world of difference in the following spring.

Mulching

When it comes to clearing leaves from your lawn, many people think raking is the way to go. However, it has been proven in recent years that mulching is actually better for your lawn. Mulching refers to shredding the leaves that cover your lawn with a lawnmower attachment, dispersing the refuse all over your lawn. While it may seem unorthodox, it has many benefits. Mulching replicates the natural processes that happen on a forest floor while not killing your grass by blocking sunlight. As a result, your lawn will have replenished nutrients and will look amazing in the spring!

Mowing

Although it may not seem like it, it is best to continue mowing your lawn well through the fall. Keeping shorter grass in the fall has multiple benefits for your lawn. If your lawn is too long before snow accumulates, it can become a safehaven for mice, voles, and other rodents. These rodents will build nests throughout the winter that will leave large brown spots of dead grass in the spring. By consistently keeping your lawn low throughout the fall, you will be able to keep your garden green and pristine for the spring and summer!

Watering and Irrigation

There are several tasks related to watering that need to be taken care of in the fall. Before the first snowfall, it is best to do a long, deep watering of your entire yard. This will give your lawn the water needed to survive the winter. Make sure to cut shut off any water lines to the outside. If you have an automatic irrigation system installed, make sure blow out the water with compressed air before the first freeze to avoid damage to the pipes.

While you can do all of these chores by yourself, sometime it’s better to get a little help from a pro! Here at Ted Collins, we offer custom fall cleanup plans to help you get your yard prepared for the winter. To request an estimate, give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or visit tedcollinst-l.com.

Acer platanoides "Crimson King" (Norway Maple)

The Crimson King is a cultivar of maple found most commonly in Europe. First introduced in the US in the 40s, the Norway Maple has been planted throughout urban and suburban areas. The Crimson King’s  burgundy red summer foliage and dense canopy provides an excellent accent to your landscape.  

Crimson Kings are generally resilient and tolerant of their environment, being able to stand up to most urban pollution, drought, and most types of soils. It thrives best in sunny, mid moisture environments. In the spring, the Crimson King is filled with spectacular yellow blooms. The Crimson King is best used as a shade tree, its broad thick canopy serving as great cover for any yard.

To have a Norway Maple installed in your yard this fall, Ted Collins can help! Give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or request an estimate today.

Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Nana Aurea’ (Gold Mop Japanese False Cypress)

Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Nana Aurea’, or The Gold Mop Japanese False Cypress, is a large evergreen conifer native to the Japanese islands of Honshu and Kyushu. The Japanese False Cypress has a dwarf mounding shape, growing up to five feet high. The Japanese False Cypress is extremely versatile. It works well as a shrub border or screen, even as a centerpiece in a rock garden. Its color provides a great accent to any garden or landscape setting. In addition, the prickly golden needles make the False Cypress extremely deer and disease resistant.

To have the Gold Mop Japanese False Cypress planted in your garden, give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or request an estimate online today!

Tips and Tricks: Fall Tree Care

The leaves are turning and the air is starting to get crisp. It is the perfect time to spend some time taking care of your trees! Trees face a great deal of stress during the summer because of the hot temperatures and violent thunderstorms. The fall is the perfect time to address your trees’ weaknesses and get them ready for the harsh winter that is right around the corner. Here are a few things you can do in the fall to get your trees ready for the winter!

Pruning, Cabling, Trussing

Winter storms can cause a significant amount of damage to both your trees and property. If there are any dead or unstable branches, they can come down in a strong storm. These can serve as a threat to your property and loved ones. Therefore, before the winter, take some time to prune dead branches off of your tree. In addition, unstable sections of your tree that are still alive can be saved by cabling and trussing techniques.

Food & Mulch

During the hot summer months, your trees can experience a lack of water and nutrients due to the hot weather. Therefore, it is best to replenish its water and nutrients before it undergoes the stressors of the winter months. There are a few ways that you can help bring your trees back up to speed. We recommend that you mulch the area at the base of your trees. Mulching is a fantastic way to reduce temperature extremes in the winter, acting as a sort of blanket. In addition, make sure to keep your tree as well watered as possible throughout the fall and winter. Subsurface watering is one method that can help get water as close to the roots as possible.

In addition to taking care of the established trees in your yard, the fall is a great time to plant new trees! To read more tips and tricks on planting trees, click here.

Thuja occidentalis “Smaragd” (American arborvitae)

The Thuja o. “Smaragd”, or more commonly known as the American arborvitae, is a needled evergreen tree native to Canada and the Northeast. While many American Arborvitaes grow up to 60 feet tall in the wild, the Smaragd is a dwarf cultivar, typically growing up to around 14 feet tall. This cultivar of the American arborvitae does best in more moist, full sun environments. The Smaragd is prized for its wonderful emerald hue which provides a wonderful green accent at any time of year.  

The American arborvitae is a favorite for suburban yards. The plant is marvelously versatile. It can handle almost any type of soil and can be used for almost any purpose; windbreak, hedge, even as a centerpiece in a rock garden, the Smaragd does it all. No matter what the setting, the Smaragd will make any yard wow!

To include the “Smaragd” American arborvitae in your landscape installation for the spring, give us a call at (585) 381-9000 or request an estimate today!