The key to controlling many types of insect and disease issues is targeting the problem before it starts. For instance, we have talked about emerald ash borer. By the time trees show signs of infestation, significant damage has already been done and you are fighting an uphill battle to save the tree. However, there is strong evidence that indicates that disease is less severe in trees that have received preventive treatments.
We are currently applying our preventive insecticide treatment. This is a systemic injection that offers year long protection against most destructive pests. Injection occurs in the spring prior to the start of insect activity, protecting your trees from the following:
| *Aphids |
*Japanese Beetles |
| *Leafminers |
*Flat head borers including Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) |
| *Elm Leaf Beetles |
*Soft Scale Insects |
| *Lacebugs |
*Tent Caterpillars |
| *Bagworms |
*Zimmerman Pine Moth |
Coming up in late summer/early fall, our preventive fungicide treatment offers the same year long protection against Nebraska’s most common tree diseases such as:
| *Anthracnose |
*Rust |
| *Rust Disease |
*Crabapple Leaf Disease |
| *Powdery Mildew |
*Ash Gall |
| *Flower Blight |
*Diplodia Tip Blight |
Click the link below, if you questions or concerns about your tree or our services. One of CM's certified arborists will schedule an appointment to discuss your tree care options.
This is a common statement we hear when clients call us to start a landscape project. Creating an entire outdoor living space is a unique process for every project. We hope you find the following guideline helpful to form ideas and make the most out of your consultation visit.
Step 1: Prioritize the Features You Would Like
Will your landscape occur in the front or back yard, include features such as a patio, water feature, or landscape lighting, address an issue such as drainage, or a combination of everything?
If you are unsure of what you are interested in, look through books, magazines, or make your own sketch to come up with ideas for your project. It may help you determine the desired size of your landscape, the features to include, how you would like to use the space, as well as your general likes and dislikes. Be sure to share what you have found during your consultation visit.
Step 2: Prepare a Budget
Landscapes encompass a wide array of features and are customized for every project. We will work with you to propose a plan that will fit your budget.
If the project is a bit more than you are planning to spend this year, revisit the priorities of your project and discuss the possibility of completing the project in phases, such as: This year install the new patio and expand the driveway, next year install the retaining wall and plants.
Inquire about available financing. Visit CM’s website to see our current financing options.
Step 3: Explore Options
There are many factors that need to be considered that may affect a project. The CM’s Team will help you determine the appropriate plants and structures to install for your property when considering such factors as sun and shade exposure, grading, and water flow.
Sprinkler systems do not have to prevent landscape projects from taking place. Heads, lines, valve boxes—they can all be moved! Drip irrigation zones can also be added to systems to help provide proper irrigation for new plant materials.ou determine the appropriate plants and structures to install for your property when considering such factors as sun and shade exposure, grading, and water flow.
Consider new features such as, landscape lighting. It will not only accentuate features of your project, but it also adds safety and can extend the use of the area into the night.
Step 4: Consider Timing
Try to find time to have all decision makers present at the consultation so everyone has the same expectations for the project.
Call at least one month before you would like the project 
to be completed. This will allow time for the initial consultation, designs and revisions, and estimates to be prepared.
If you would like an early spring or summer install, don’t be afraid to call in the winter to get the process started. Our designers and sales managers are available year-round.
Consider late summer or early fall installations to allow for greater flexibility in scheduling.
Step 5:
If your tree’s leaves are starting to appear, you may think that the tree is in the clear as far as
drought damage goes. However, during periods of severe drought, a tree may lose a significant portion of the root system because roots cannot live in soil that is dry for long periods of time. Also, the tree has used a good deal of energy and its reserves trying to keep itself cool in the hot temps and dealing with reduced water uptake. The tree will also have a difficult time fighting off insects and disease. So, how do trees recover from severe drought conditions?
WATER! Proper tree care requires that you monitor the soil moisture. Use a garden trowel or a screwdriver to check the soil moisture 2” below the surface. If it is dry, then it is time to water. Sometimes a lawn irrigation system will not water deep enough to reach the tree roots. You may need to pull out the hose to soak the soil. You want the soil to be moist but not soggy.
Maintain 1-3” of mulch around the base of the tree, but avoid mounding it against the trunk of the tree. Mulch protects the trunk from mower and string trimmer damage, maintains soil moisture and adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes.
Monitor the tree for any signs of insect or disease problems. By catching the problem early and correcting it, you can help the tree fight off the problems it may not be able to handle on its own. Click the buttom below if you would like a licensed arborist to inspect your trees.
After a slow start, spring may actually be here. Because of the seasonally below average temperatures, turf has been slow to grow. Our schedule, a week late based on what we had planned, will actually reflect a more typical year now that some sense of normal spring weather is occurring. Our second round of pre-emergent will begin during the week of May 6, and we will be spraying any weeds that have sprouted.
- It is not too late to aerate. This a recurring theme. Twice a year will improve the overall condition of your turf.
- Overseeding should be completed soon to ensure sufficient time to develop grass plants healthy enough to withstand the summer temperatures especially given what we have experienced the last two summers in the Omaha area. For turf that is dead, we can put a plan in place to address the problem in the late summer
- It might be beneficial to take a leaf rake to smaller areas of that do not appear to be responding. A gentle raking along with aeration may stimulate some re-growth if any of the root zone survived
Wait as long as possible to provide supplemental irrigation. We have had more than adequate spring rain to carry most turf for some time. Turf provides more than enough hints when supplemental irrigation is needed.
We are indebted to the University of Nebraska for its ongoing support of optimal turf care practices and the turf care profession.
Has nature’s recent precipitation had you singing in the rain… or perhaps the snow? After the challenges the turf endured last year, the rain definitely calls for celebration—we understand if you’re not ready to sing and dance over the snow! According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Turfgrass Science Program, Sarpy and Douglas counties are still considered to be in “severe” drought as of April 30, 2013. While the rain we received is an excellent start to the spring, it is important to begin proper turf care practices now in order to help our lawns recover from the previous year and to prepare our lawns for the possibility of another year of low rainfall.
To help our turf tolerate continued stress due to drought, UNL offers the following suggestions:
- Mow at the same height all year long, and at the highest setting— 3” or more.
- Mow frequently so no more than 1/3 of the blade is removed during one mowing.
- Return clippings to lawn rather than bagging the grass in order for turf to retain nutrients and moisture.
- Aerate at least once, if not twice, a year to reduce soil compaction.
- Check sprinkler heads to ensure they are accurately and efficiently spraying the lawn rather than the street.
- Water deeply and infrequently.
- The best time to water is the morning when there is little wind and lower temperatures.
- Install a rain sensor to prevent your sprinkler system from watering during or after heavy rains.
Remember that precipitation per week is the combined amount of Mother Nature’s rain plus anything you add to it. Excessive watering will only waste water and promote unhealthy growing conditions in a variety of ways.
The University of Nebraska is a tremendous resource for proper turf care practices. We encourage you to read the full articles. Please visit:
http://turf.unl.edu/pdfctarticles/april_practical_irrigation.pdf
http://turf.unl.edu/pdfcaextpub/homelawnirrigation2011a.pdf
When you purchased your house, did it perhaps only have a 10’ X 10’ concrete slab for a patio? Have you been in your house for awhile and your concrete is cracking or your family is expanding so much you can’t all enjoy the patio together? Perhaps a mature tree or the freeze-thaw cycle has wreaked havoc on your sidewalk, or your preferences have changed since 20 years ago when you first landscaped. All of these are common concerns we hear from clients. Luckily there are many options to address these situations.
The first solution is the most basic. In cases where concrete has buckled or cracked and
become hazardous, just replace it with new concrete. In some circumstances of settling concrete, there is also an option of mudjacking which is a process of pumping an expandable liquid solution (referred to as mud) under the concrete in order to elevate it to its original height.
If your preferences or needs have changed, it might be time to consider a renovation. Renovations can include expanding the concrete or tearing out the old concrete and replacing it with new material, like pavers. An additional benefit of a paver patio is that it can include simple features, such as a seatwall, that not only adds depth and visual interest to the patio, but also adds functionality and more space for guests. renovation.
Tree roots can be a very common issue for concrete. You may replace the same section of concrete several times because roots keep destroying the concrete! You love your tree, but are tired of tripping over that spot that has buckled time and time again. Instead of fighting what seems to be a never-ending battle, another option is to replace the concrete with pavers, so you only have to replace a few pavers at a time. You will have to compromise the root system of the tree, so be sure to consult one of our certified arborist. Please visit our blog for more information on surface roots.
Similar to tree roots, water and the continuous contracting and expanding caused by the freeze-thaw cycle can also create recurring damage to concrete. This is yet another situation where pavers are a popular choice. If nature is bound and determined to damage your concrete, by switching to pavers you may once again only have to replace a few pavers rather than an entire section of concrete!
Similar to tree roots, water and the continuous contracting and expanding caused by the freeze-thaw cycle can also create recurring damage to concrete. This is yet another situation where pavers are a popular choice. If nature is bound and determined to damage your concrete, by switching to pavers you may once again only have to replace a few pavers rather than an entire section of concrete!
Contact CM’s today to start planning your renovation!
For a new tree, the only tree pruning that should be done the first year would be to remove any dead, damaged, or diseased branches. After the tree has been planted in the ground for one year, you can begin to prune the tree to improve structure and aesthetics. This may need to be done each year until the tree has a strong, balanced structure. Training young trees optimizes structural stability in the mature tree. By pruning a tree when it is young, you can avoid problems such as co-dominant stems, weak branch attachments, and crossing branches. This can greatly reduce the maintenance costs associated with correcting these structural defects in the future.
For a mature tree, how often you need to prune will depend on the history of the tree. If it has been well maintained through the years, the only pruning that may need to be done would be to remove any dead, damaged, or diseased limbs. If the tree was not properly trained when it was young, it may have problems such as splitting branch attachments, branches that are too low, or other structural defects. Typically, removing more than 25% of a tree’s leaf area during one growing season should be avoided. The tree may need to be pruned once every few years until it has good structure and aesthetics.
As always, we recommend consulting a licensed arborist before pruning.
A year ago in the Omaha metro area, CM's A Cut Above was already out on turf in the middle of March. This year we saw the end of March with snow on the ground and regressing soil temperatures. Have no fear. The daffodils and tulips are breaking ground and there are signs of bud formation on the trees.
CM's lawn care season begins with the application of a pre-emergent. Pre-emergent does not distinguish between weed growth and new seed growth; therefore if you are overseeding your yard on your own, make sure to avoid applying pre-emergent in that area. We follow with a second round of pre-emergent about five weeks after the first application. As always, our goal is to attack the roots and shoots of new crabgrass plants. We remind you that the product only begins working when it is watered in.
Our mowing recommendations here at CM's are the same as last year. For cool season grasses, mow high the entire growing season. It is good for the grass plants and it crowds out weeds. Keep the mower blade sharp. Never remove more than one third of the crown at any one mowing. You do not need to bag the grass; let it
decompose, making use of the nutrients that are in the grass clippings.
Aerating this spring is always a good idea. Twice a year is not too much given the composition of the soils in Nebraska.
Need assistance getting things started this spring?
We often talk about landscapes creating curb appeal and creating an aesthetically pleasing space. But have you ever had a problem area in your yard that you decided to give up on and just live with it? New landscaping can not only be pleasing to the eye, it can also be a solution to some homeowner frustrations! This year we will focus on how landscaping and renovations can solve common issues that homeowners face. If you have an idea for topics we should cover, please contact us!
Today’s focus is on water flow issues including rain water or sprinkler system runoff. Have you ever had standing water in one part of the yard while another area is bone dry? How about water seeping into your basement, an area that always gets washed out, or water that just doesn’t seem to drain from your yard? You are not alone! These are some of the most common issues we hear about. Practically any change to land will have some effect on the flow of water. These occur from the grading on newly constructed homes, ground settling in new or existing homes, or new construction or renovations from neighboring properties. Luckily, there are many options to consider depending on your individual situation.
CM’s can create, renovate, or re-shape a landscape bed in order to change the flow of water.
We can install a drainage stream bed to create a stone path for water drainage or install drainage tile in order to extend down spouts so water will be directed to drain in the correct direction.
We can also install a retaining structure as needed in conjunction with adequately shaping the turf for proper drainage and to support changes in terrain.
It is important to note that every property is different and each home may require a specific plan of action.
Contact CM’s today to start planning your solution!
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive insect that has destroyed tens of millions of ash trees in North America and Canada since 2002 when it was first discovered in Michigan. The beetle is native to Asia and was brought to the US by infested wooden pallets. It attacks all ash trees, regardless of age or health. Trees become infested when adult beetles lay eggs on the bark. The eggs hatch into larvae that bore into the tree. They tunnel just below the bark and disrupt water and nutrient movement, eventually killing the tree.
Until recently, the closest the pest had been to the Omaha area was in extreme north east Iowa in Allamakee County. On July 20 of this year EAB was discovered in the Kansas City area and on Aug 29 it was discovered in Wyandotte County in Kansas. The borer is usually spread by moving infested firewood to campsites around the country.
The recommendation that the Nebraska Forest Service is using for when to begin preventative EAB treatments, which other states are using too, is not to begin treatments until you know EAB is within 15 miles of your location. We will continue to keep you up to date on the latest EAB news. There are several chemical treatment options that have proven to be effective in protecting ash trees from the devastation of EAB. While it is not impossible to save an ash tree once it has started to show signs and symptoms of an EAB infestation, the success rate of keeping an ash tree alive is much greater with preventative treatments. Symptoms can be difficult to recognize because many of them look very similar to the effects of drought stress on trees.
Some signs and symptoms of infested trees include:
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Thinning canopy
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Branch dieback from the top of tree
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Delayed leaf out in the spring
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Woodpecker damage
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Epicormic shoots/water sprouts
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Bark splitting
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D shaped exit holes
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S shaped tunneling under the bark
If the thought of losing your ash tree concerns you and confirmed sightings within 15 miles is too close for comfort, contact us and we will have a professional arborist take a closer look. We can answer any questions you may have regarding appropriate preventative treatment measures.
For more information on the devastating destruction of the Emerald Ash Borer on our ash trees, visit www.emeraldashborer.info
Not sure if you have an ash tree? Email a picture to admin@cmscustomlawn.com