The Landscape season is just about over ! Maybe just a few odds and end to take care.
But the fun is just beginning !
We are getting ready for a wonderful holiday season with friends and family and making plans for the spring of 2012 .
For the last two seasons we just simply relaxed and watched the others in the landscape business cut prices and even the quality of there work in order to survive .
We simple refused to be part of the rat race.
What we did do wile the rat race was going on is come up with some new and innovative concepts in landscape design that the compitition hasn’t even dreamed of.
Now that I think about it most of our compitition was still in dippers wile we were providing sustainable and organic earth friendly landscapes .
Thinking about it a little more sustainable , organic earth friendly landscapes .
Wow we were doing that before the terms even existed ,but I guess that’s why after 43 years were still here
Our policy is simple! Treat the customer in the same way we want to be treated, give them a product that will last and be sustainable, and always protect the environment.
Thanks for reading
Wile your at it check out our website at www.landscapingunlimited.com

Every neighborhood has that one lawn that all the neighbors envy. You know the type: the grass is thick, green and not a weed is in sight.
That neighbor most likely knows that the easiest way to a thick, beautiful weed-free lawn is with regular feedings using a controlled-release fertilizer.

Lawns are like any other plant—it needs food to reach its full potential. The right nutrients will not only help the lawn become thick and green, but they will help the grass to become better adapted to drought situations and recovering from turf diseases.

Confusion about What to Do
Often, homeowners say fertilizing the lawn is confusing. Actually, it is easier than feeding flowers or vegetables. All plants need nutrients, and when those nutrients can’t be found in the soil they have to come from somewhere else. This is where plant foods become important.
The soils around the new houses of today do not have adequate nutrients to maintain a nice lawn. Consider when a new house is built: the contractors simply use the backfill to cover the lawn and then plant seed or sod. It is likely that the soil will be lacking in the proper nutrients.

For the most part, you can ignore the “expert” advice that says to then add nutrients based on the soil test. Granted, it isn’t bad advice, but it isn’t a necessary first step and soil tests can just add to the confusion. Soil testing is primarily for professional turf needs.
So how do you get started? First, know your grass type.
Visit with your local nursery or gardening professional to find out what type of grass is in your lawn. If you are located in a state north of Tennessee and east of Denver, most likely your lawn is a combination of bluegrass, ryegrass and fine fescues. In the South, there are many different grass types, but the most common are St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass.
After you know what kind of grasses you have in your lawn,, visit your local garden store or Lawn Pro dealer and purchase the lawn program that is right for your lawn. Each bag of fertilizer will indicate how many square feet it covers (for example, it might say “5,000 square feet”), and it will tell you the recommended time to apply it to the lawn.
The first lawn feeding of the year should occur about the same time that the lawn comes out of dormancy after the winter. For practicality purposes, this is approximately the same time as the first mowing of the year.
After the spring feeding, simply follow-up every six to eight weeks with the appropriate application for that time of year. For example, if you apply a feeding in early April, then the next feeding should be done around the end of May or early June.
At the minimum, a lawn should be fed in the spring and fall. But for best results, should be followed that contains 4 to 6 feedings.
As stated previously, a lawn that is fed regularly will develop a thick, green turf that is weed-free, better suited to drought-like conditions and less likely to suffer from turf diseases.
With regular feedings, the root system will fill in bare spots naturally, and weed seeds won’t have a place to germinate because the thick turf will cover all of those bare areas.
There are also fertilizers that are made specially for summer and late fall. Others combine the fertilizer and an ingredient to fight insects or prevent crabgrass from germinating—such things that can ruin a nice lawn.
Start an annual lawn care program at any time of the year, just remember to follow up with regular feedings for that thick, green, healthy lawn that your neighbors will envy.
And they’ll think you spent hours to get it that way.
The information provided here is from The Scotts Company web site.
We highty recommend there products to you.
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Care of Ornamental Plants in the Landscape
Most established ornamental plants in the landscape require care to stay healthy and attractive. Regular fertilization, pruning, watering, mulching and pest control are all part of a good landscape management program.
Some plants, such as annual flowers, roses, red-tip photinia and English laurel, are more demanding than others. Annual flowers and roses must be kept well-supplied with nutrients and water at all times, pruned and groomed routinely, and monitored regularly for pests if they are to flower abundantly. Red-tip photinia and English laurel are very susceptible to leaf spot diseases and demand more care.
On the other hand, plants such as ornamental grasses, hollies and junipers, when properly planted on a good site, require little care once established and are considered good low-maintenance plants.
Caring for ornamental plants is more difficult when they are not well-suited to the site selected or when they are improperly planted. Azaleas, for instance, prefer a moist, well-drained soil and shade from the mid-afternoon sun. When planted in poorly drained soil or in full sun without the benefit of irrigation, azaleas become stressed, susceptible to attack from insects and diseases, and require more care. Planting too deeply or too shallowly also causes plant problems.
Today, the concept of low-maintenance landscapes is more popular than ever before. The idea of putting less effort into the landscape without sacrificing quality and beauty is very appealing to a growing number of homeowners and clients of landscape professionals. By applying lower amounts of fertilizer, water and pesticides to the landscape, you not only help the environment but also save time and money. New concepts in low-maintenance landscaping, such as Xeriscaping (water-efficient landscaping) and integrated pest management (control of pests through the selective use of insecticides and encouragement of natural enemies), are proving that it is possible to have a beautiful landscape while saving time, effort and money.
This publication provides guidelines for the care of established ornamental plants in the landscape. Low-maintenance alternatives to traditional cultural practices are discussed throughout the publication.
Start by identifying areas of the landscape that require different amounts of care. A recently planted area, for instance, will generally require more attention than a well-established area. The highly visible public area of the landscape is usually an are where optimum growth is desired at all times, while a secluded, private area requires less maintenance. Once this “zoning” is done and the different levels of plant care are established, landscape maintenance becomes much more efficient and effective.
Fertilization
Fertilization is an important part of landscape maintenance, particularly in urban areas where much of the native topsoil is removed during development and subsoil deficient in essential nutrients becomes the new topsoil.
Unfortunately, fertilization is a rather simple cultural practice made complex and confusing by the wide variety of fertilizer products on the market today — from “general-purpose” garden fertilizer to specialty products, such as pre-mixed liquid fertilizer concentrates, water-soluble crystals, slow-release fertilizers, azalea/camellia fertilizers and rose specials. Plants generally do not care whether a fertilizer is granulated, liquified, encapsulated, briquetted, pelletized or solubilized! They simply want nutrients in any form they can use.
Fertilizers, however, differ in nutrient content and release duration. The type of fertilizer you select should be based not only on its cost but also on the types of plants being fertilized, the existing nutrient content of the soil, and the type of growth response desired. Liquid or water-soluble fertilizers, for instance, are often used on annuals and herbaceous perennials immediately after transplanting because their nutrients can be absorbed quickly and used by the plant. Woody ornamentals, on the other hand, store food reserves in their roots and do not have an immediate demand for nutrients after transplanting as short-season annuals do. They benefit from slow-release fertilizers that ensure a supply of nutrients as needed.
To determine whether a granular fertilizer has slow-release properties, look at the analysis on the back of the bag. Nitrogen listed in the form of ammoniacal nitrogen indicates that the product has some slow-release property. If the nitrogen is listed as being derived from urea, urea-formaldehyde, IBDU (isobutylenediurea), or sulfur-coated urea, the release duration of the product will be increased. Some granular slow-release fertilizers last six to eight months after application.
Other commonly available slow-release fertilizers on the market include Osmocote granules, Osmocote tablets, Jobe’s Spikes, Once, Woodace briquettes, Agriform tablets and Milorganite. These fertilizers generally cost more per pound than general-purpose granular fertilizers such as 10-10-10 or 12-4-8, but they also last longer and don’t need to be applied as frequently.
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Insect Management on Landscape Plants
The urban landscape is a diverse area that includes many different plants, ranging from annual foliage plants to perennial trees and shrubs. It is a complicated system to manage because, unlike in agriculture, plantings are fragmented and separated by developed areas. Each home or commercial area is also maintained differently, and the owners or managers have different goals for their landscapes. Some may desire a perfect, well-manicured look, while others may prefer a more natural appearance that requires less work to maintain.
A lot of insects, mites, and other insect-relatives feed on ornamental landscape plants. Many are harmless, some are beneficial, and some are pests. Some pests may need immediate control, especially if present in great numbers, but others may not be worth the time, effort, or cost of control. Feeding by pests may cause real damage to the plants or just make the plants look bad or unhealthy. However, insects are only one of many potential causes for unhealthy-looking plants. Diseases, nematodes, drought, nutritional disorders, and improper chemical applications can also be damaging. Correct identification of the problem can save money and prevent unnecessary chemical use. After the pest is correctly identified, information can be found on its life cycle, food preference, and habits. It is important to understand these things to properly time any corrective measures.
Scouting or monitoring for damage or pests is an important part of plant health care. Examine plants weekly in the spring, summer and fall. Exactly how to monitor for each pest depends on where the insect lives or feeds. Look for pests under a few leaves and the stems or branches of each plant. If thrips or mites are suspected, hold a sheet of white paper under the leaves or flowers and shake the plant. Watch for moving specks on the paper and place them into a small jar or vial of rubbing alcohol for identification. Use a hand lens (10 or 15X) or magnifying glass to find tiny insects or mites on the foliage.

Pest Management on Ornamentals
Several options exist for managing insects and mites on ornamentals without the use of pesticides. These options include handpicking, knocking, or hosing pests off plants with water, and then destroying the pests. Removing infested plants or plant parts (e.g., pruning) and then burning or destroying them reduces the chance of pests moving among plants. Buying or using plants that are naturally resistant or tolerant to certain pests greatly reduces the need for future control. Any mechanical or cultural method that prevents or excludes pests from the plants should be attempted before using a pesticide.
Select the right product. Only use an insecticide that is recommended to control the target pest and is safe on the host plants.
Use the label rate or recommended amount. Too little won’t control the pest; too much is illegal. Read the container label carefully.
Apply it correctly. Thorough coverage of the leaves (especially the underside), stems, and branches is essential. The pesticide must reach the area of the plant where the pest is feeding. Most failures to control pests result from incorrect applications, not product failure. The addition of a spreader-sticker to the spray mixture is suggested when spraying ornamental plants. Spreader-stickers help the pesticide to adhere to the leaves and improve coverage for better control.
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Groups of Pests
Pests of ornamentals may be divided into five groups according to how they damage plants.
Insects with Piercing-Sucking Mouthparts. These insects have general straw-like mouthparts, which pierce the plant tissue and suck out the plant fluids. Examples: Scales, mealybugs, aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, lace bugs, spittlebugs, thrips.
Spider Mites. These pests are not insects, but are closely related to spiders and scorpions. They suck plant fluids with their piercing-sucking mouthparts.
Foliage-Feeding Insects. They may feed on leaves or flowers. Examples: Caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, katydids.
Leafminers. These are very small larvae of flies, beetles, or moths that tunnel between the upper and lower leaf surfaces. Examples: Blotch leafminers and serpentine leafminers.
Borers. There are many species of insects which bore into the twigs or trunks of plants and trees. These are usually the larvae of moths or beetles. Examples: Pine bark beetles, sea grape borer, carpenterworm, dogwood borer.

Please visit our web page on this service at: http://www.landscapingunlimited.com/onthewebcomputerdesign.html.This offer is also good for other contractors.

Identifying Features :

Appearance (Morphology)

• Three distinct body regions: head, thorax (where the legs and wings are attached), abdomen.
• Part of the thorax is elongated to create a distinctive ‘neck’.
• Front legs modified as raptorial graspers with strong spikes for grabbing and holding prey.
• Large compound eyes on the head which moves freely around (up to 180°) and three simple eyes between the compound eyes.
• Incomplete or simple metamorphosis (hemimetabolous).
• Adult Males and Females
  Females usually have heavier abdomen and are larger than males. 

  Immatures (different stages)
  A distinct Styrofoam-like egg case protects Mantid eggs throughout the winter. Up to 200 or more nymphs may emerge from the egg case. The nymphs look like adults except for size and the sexual definition. Coloration and patterns in the nymph stage may be different than the adult.

• Natural HistoryFood
  Praying mantids are highly predacious and feed on a variety of insects, including moths, crickets, grasshoppers and flies. They lie in wait with the front legs in an upraised position. They intently watch and stalk their prey. They will eat each other.

  Habitat
  Praying mantids are often protectively colored to the plants they live on. This camouflage facilitates their predaceous behavior. Mantids are usually found on plants that have other insects around. Some mantids live in grass. Winged adults may be attracted to black lights in late summer and early fall.

  Predators
  Many fish and predatory aquatic insects eat larvae and pupae. Bats, birds and spiders eat flying adults.

  Interesting Behaviors
  The adult female usually eats the male after or during mating. Mantid’s grasping response is incredibly rapid, so that you see it before it catches the insect and when the insect is in its front legs. The motion is barely a blur if it is perceived at all.

  The compound eyes are capable of seeing images and colors. The three simple eyes perhaps tell the differences between light and dark.. The simple eyes are arranged in a triangle between the antennae. Compound eyes are made up of hundreds of facets constructed with two lenses. These focus the light down a light sensitive structures (rhabdome) which is connected to the optic nerve.

  Impact on the Ecosystem

  Positive
  Mantids are active predators and consume other insects. They are good garden predators, but are cannot keep up with the population growth of some insect populations and do not discriminate between beneficial and harmful garden insects.

• Collecting Live InsectsWhere to find
  Praying mantids and /or their egg cases are very difficult to locate by just looking at plants because of their camouflage. To find adults, look on flowering plants and at porch lights in August through late September. Adult males will often fly to porch lights in the late fall. Home vegetable and flower gardens that are organic or where no insecticides have been used may be a good place to look. Egg cases can be purchased from: Carolina Biological Supply Company, ARBICO, Science Kit and Boreal Laboratories, Ward’s Biology.

  How to collect
  To collect an egg case, carefully cut the branch with the egg case several inches below the case. If the case is attached to a wall or board, you will not be able to remove it without damaging the case. In capturing immature or adult mantids, you can use your hands to cup around the insect or gently coax them into a container. Using an insect net may be helpful to capture adults with wings. Carefully lay the net over or to the side of the mantid and with one hand gently usher the mantid into the net. Transfer the mantid into a container large enough for the mantid to move around in.

Description

Garter snakes are named for the bright pattern of stripes (usually yellow) that resemble garters and run the length of their bodies (black, green or brown). Garter snakes have four rows of teeth which point backwards in their upper jaws. The outer two rows of teeth work independently of each other while the middle rows go back and forth, helping these snakes work large prey slowly down their throats. There are many different types of garter snakes in North America, but as the name suggests, these are the most common ones.

Habitat

Common garter snakes can live in a wide variety of habitats, including woods, agricultural areas, wetlands and residential areas. Because they can survive colder areas than most snakes, common garter snakes are the only snakes living in the Northwest Territories. They are found from the Atlantic to Pacific coasts of North America except for the desert regions of the southwest.
 

Feeding Habits

Prey is detected by swallowing scent trails—the snake’s red, black-tipped tongue flickers in the air testing for scents. Prey is swallowed whole, so garter snakes do not actually chew but use the teeth to move the prey in their mouths. After swallowing, snakes will have a bulge in their middles that may remain there for several days. They prey mainly on earthworms, frogs, toads, tadpoles, insects, salamanders and sometimes mice.

Reproduction

Mating season begins in early spring following hibernation, with mating also sometimes occurring again in the fall. The female mates with many males at once and the male plays no role in raising the young. In summer, females will give birth to as many as 80 live young (as opposed to eggs like some other snakes) but usually the litter is 10 to 25. The young snakes are five to nine inches in length at birth and do not become fully mature for two to three years.

Behaviour

Unlike many other snakes, garter snakes are not nocturnal. They are relatively harmless snakes that will head quickly in the other direction when they encounter humans. Garter snake bites are not poisonous, but they will bite if captured and release a foul odour. Garter snakes usually live near water and will enter it when alarmed or threatened. They hibernate in large groups of hundreds or thousands inside abandoned burrows, rock crevices or even the foundations of old buildings.