LandscapExperts Tip of the Week, September 24

Executing a Landscape Renovation

Judging Quality

Crabapple’s reputable local wholesalers are the source of the super-charged plants that the LandscapExperts Team brings to your landscape.

• Plants are healthy, with normal leaf size and good green color; plump, firm buds; adequate numbers of flowers/fruits for size and age
• Plants are insect- and disease-free
• Container grown pots are filled with healthy white roots, but roots do not circle the pots
• The nursery should be clean and neat
• Plants awaiting sale are shaded if needed, evenly watered, and have no broken limbs
• Plants are grouped by variety and size  

We strive to bring you the very best plants for your new design!

LandscapExperts Tip of the Week, September 17

Executing a Landscape Renovation

Successful Transplanting

Two critical factors when moving plants:

1. The right time of year relative to their growth cycles,  The best time to move plants is when they are dormant. Midwinter in metro-Atlanta.
2. Dig and take as much of the root system as possible, above all do not allow it to crack in half. Root prune the plant a few months ahead of time roots will regenerate in place, and be more compact when the tree is actually moved. Crabapple LandscapExperts take as much of the root system as can be dragged or lifted and take care that the root ball does not split.

LandscapExperts Tip of the Week, September 10

Executing a Landscape Renovation

Add Permanent Landscape Elements

Phase 2 of any landscape renovation is adding the hardscaping before any new plants are installed.

• Grading
• Drainage
• Paving and Decking are forms of ground cover

Refer to the detailed plan that Crabapple LandscapExperts provides. 

LandscapExperts Tip of the Week, September 3

Executing a Landscape Renovation

Renew Existing Landscape Elements

The LandscapExperts Team will pamper existing landscape plants that are able to be saved and that will contribute to the renovated design.  

• Overgrown trees and shrubs are pruned or limbed up.
• Rejuvenation pruning can be practiced on overgrown deciduous shrubs, retaining new stems and removing the largest, heaviest old ones
• Corrective tree pruning includes removal of dead, broken or crossing branches, and correcting narrow crotch angles
• Groundcovers can be renewed by severely cutting back or even mowing, then re-spacing the remaining plants
• Perennials are divided and reset, with the oldest inner parts of the clump discarded
• Plants are also treated for disease and insect problems if they exist 
• Add new flowering bulbs and annuals

LandscapExperts Tip of the Week, August 27

Executing a Landscape Renovation

Removal of Existing Plants and Shrubs

Step one in any renovation is the demolition. 

• In landscaping, this refers to removing plants that cannot be salvaged or those in the way of paving and cannot be transplanted to another locale.
• Some woody ornamentals can be cut off at ground level, but others will resprout and so must be dug out. 
• Your LandscapExperts Team keep in mind that as one plant is dug up, the roots may be entwined with neighboring root systems, and we work to preserve the remaining shrubs.
• For large trees, we call in our experienced Arborists to remove them safely. Firewood and wood chips are often salvageable. 

LandscapExperts Tip of the Week, August 20

Stretching Your Landscape Budget

CrabappleLandscapExperts are masters of the many ways to stretch your landscape budget, but we never sacrifice quality for price. 

• We select the smallest-sized plants, so long as they achieve our design objectives and are effective
• Bare-root plants are more economical and grow more quickly, if the renovation schedule and the calendar allows (narrow window of opportunity in late winter)
• Use inexpensive annuals as fillers while slower-growing shrubs and trees are getting established
• Use more common, less expensive plants as background, and new introductions as specimens
• Space ground covers with an eye to mature size rather than immediate impact 

LandscapExperts Tip of the Week, August 13

Understanding Plant Sizes

American Standard for Nursery Stock

This is a set of guidelines for growers and wholesale nurseries that helps them to standardize the sizing and description of trees, shrubs, roses, bulbs and plant material. Using these measurements ensures that a 3-gallon or a 3-inch caliper plant will be similar in size across nurseries. As well, they can assign different grades to indicate the quality of plants. Crabapple LandscapExperts choose large, robust plants for your installations.  .

Trees

Trees are graded by height, pot size, or if field-grown, larger sizes are graded in caliper inches (diameter of the trunk at breast height or DBH)

Shrubs

Shrubs are graded by height or pot size. Each type of shrub has standard measurements (low spreading, tall upright) 

Roses

Roses are graded by the number of canes

Bulbs

Bulbs are graded by circumference