Welcome to Monarch Quarterly!

Adam Chesney

Hello! Welcome to the inaugural edition of Monarch Quarterly. I hope the seasonal advice and information provided will be helpful as you work on your yard. I also hope you’ll take advantage of the unique specials and offers that will be highlighted in each issue. Your feedback is always appreciated. With the spring season upon us, we have now completed our dormant pruning, pre-emergent herbicide application, mulching of bed spaces and our first round of fertilizer on shrubs and turf. We are now gearing up for the growing season!

One question that we often receive this time of year (after a warm snap) has to do with the correct time to plant spring annuals. The garden centers have already started selling them! My advice is to wait until after the frost date (April 22 in Nashville), unless you’re planting pansies, snapdragons or any other cool-season annual.

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions regarding your yard as things start to warm up. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful spring!

Sincerely,

Adam Chesney
Owner & Founder

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What is Your Landscape Worth?

Even if yours is a simple landscape, it represents thousands of dollars in value to you. Properly cared for, your landscaping will appreciate more every year. Some property owners can honestly value the plantings around their homes in the $50,000 to $100,000 range.

Sound outlandish? Look around your own property. Consider what it would take to replace all of the plantings you own. A 20-year-old oak or a full-grown magnolia are nearly impossible to actually replace if lost, but they’ll continue to add value to your home as they mature. And a single shrub that cost you $150 to install five years ago may easily be worth 10 times that amount today. You have a solid, rapidly growing investment in your landscape.

WATCHING OVER YOUR "PORTFOLIO"

Your landscape investment can suffer like any other. For example, you’ll lose value if black spot destroys some of your rose bushes, if grubs wipe out half your lawn, or if poor fertility leads to shade tree decline. To be sure that your landscape holds its value and stays as healthy as possible, there are five steps you can take:

MANAGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

There are over 5,000 plant diseases. Many can and will damage your trees, shrubs and lawn. Regular, careful observation will detect most potential problems, and preventative or curative treatments can be arranged to protect your plantings. Take a few minutes each week to stroll around your property, and make a note of any plants that aren’t looking as healthy as they should. Let us know when there’s a problem. We’re here to protect your investment in your lawn and landscape.

MANAGEMENT OF DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS

Most insects feed on plants, causing damage as they eat their way through your property. Some burrow into your trees to lay their eggs, and quite a few actually inject toxic materials while they’re feeding that can poison your plants. A combination of observation and scheduled treatments will keep the serious insect problems under control.

WEED MANAGEMENT REDUCES COMPETITION

Weeds that get out of control start competing with your desirable plants, robbing them of water, nutrients and fertilizer. In planting beds, around shrubs and in lawns, weeds not only look bad, but decrease the health, appearance and overall value of your plants as well.

Good weed management is a combination of efforts. Proper cultural practices are important. These include keeping beds mulched and lawns mowed high. A healthy, thick lawn reduces weeds, and a thick layer of mulch around shrubs and flowers prevents many weeds from sprouting.

With pre-emergent weed controls for both your lawn and planting beds, we can keep weed seeds from germinating. And with post-emergent controls, we can take care of any broadleaf weeds that have already started growing.

FEEDING YOUR INVESTMENT

In addition to keeping pests out of your landscape, it’s important to make sure that your plants get a regular diet of balanced food as well. Good fertility management avoids the "feast or famine" results of irregular feeding schedules. Fertilization timed for the most effective results is always best. Delivering the right doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash at the proper time of year will keep your whole landscape green, lush and healthy.

WATER MANAGEMENT

This is just as important as anything else you may do to protect your lawn and landscape investment. Measure the amount of rainfall your property receives. Gauges are available and take the guesswork out of managing your watering schedule. A program of adequate, consistent watering will make everything else you do produce bigger and better dividends all year long. If you’re interested in an automatic irrigation system, we can help.

For more information on protecting your landscape investment, give Monarch Landscape Company a call today. We’re here to keep your outdoor "portfolio" growing in value year after year!

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Hardscaping Adds Interest and Excitement

While colorful flowers and stately trees certainly look good on their own, they can be made to look even better with the right hardscaping elements. Decks, drives, paver patios, pools, ponds and even retaining walls can bring added form and function to your property while complementing your landscape’s natural components...as long as they’re well planned.

AVOID "SUPERSIZING"

It may be tempting to create a huge deck or patio area with lots of room to move around, but larger spaces often lack a sense of intimacy. For a cozier, more inviting landscape, consider smaller decks or patios surrounded by lots of plant life.

THINK NATURALLY

Successful hardscaping elements should blend in so well with the surrounding landscape that they look as if they belong there. For this reason, avoid "boxy" or rectangular designs and favor curvier shapes and patterns that mimic the way things look in nature.

KEEP YOUR LIFESTYLE IN MIND

If you enjoy entertaining, you may want to install a deck, terrace or patio with a barbecue area. Or, if you’re interested in outdoor recreation, a hot tub or pool may be the perfect thing. With a little imagination, just about any outdoor space can be transformed to meet your needs.

In today’s economy, many property owners are investing in home improvements rather than purchasing new homes. Hardscaping is a great way to do just that. If you’re interested in improving the looks, functionality and value of your home, Monarch Landscape Company can help you sort through the many options available for the perfect hardscaping solution. Give us a call today!

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