Kevin James Landscape, Inc.
Quietly Landscaping Charlotte's Finest Properties
Maintenance
Maintenance
Maintenance Recommendations - Trees, Shrubs and Groundcover
FERTILIZING: Ironite and Hollytone should be applied as per instructions on label. Apply Osmocote or suitable slow release fertilizer at 1 tablespoon per foot of height or spread, whichever is greater. Fertilizer should be applied to the drip-zone of plants, never to the center.
PRUNING: Trees should not require pruning except to remove dead wood and suckers or, to remove lower branches to achieve desired shape.
Prune shrubs to preserve the natural character of the plant. Avoid using hedge shears as they cause dense surface growth and eventual loss of the interior foliage of the plant. Prune only excessive growth to maintain a neat plant appearance. As a rule of thumb, it is always safe to prune plants immediately following their flowering.
CONTROLLING INSECTS AND DISEASES: Contact Kevin James Landscape, Inc., or your local County Agricultural Agent. Many Remedies are available at your local home and garden centers, but always follow directions and never spray plant material if it is above 80 degrees. If you are unsure of the daily temperature, spray in the evening.
WATERING: The most effective way to determine plant moisture requirements is to physically examine the soil around each plant. Generally, shrubs and groundcovers should be watered twice a week during dry periods and trees once a week. Saturate the root balls of all plants during watering. The signs of over watering and under watering are the same. Please investigate symptoms and do not assume water is a factor.
WEEDING: Weeds in planting beds should be removed or killed before they become well established. Round-Up by Monsanto is an excellent non-selective herbicide which is effective during the active growth periods of most weeds. Round-Up should be used with extreme caution around all ornamental plants. Read directions carefully. If using a pre-emergent, please follow directions carefully. Never apply a pre- emergent to young grass or fresh planting. If brushy weeds (poison oak, ivy, or sapling) are a problem, Round-Up will not be effective. Please contact Kevin James Landscaping, Inc. for a chemical application. Never use gasoline or motor oil, it will leech into the ground and harm nearby plants.