Top Spray > Top Spray Green Industry E-News Oct 09

Top Spray Green Industry E-News Oct 09

Natural Products. Premium Solutions.™

Top Spray Green Industry

Oct 2009

With our first snowfall of the season and plunging temperatures, many of us are not thinking too much about our yards and gardens as we bundle up. Before we get too comfortable though there is still some work we need to do to winterize our yards and protect the investment we make in our outdoor space. Our Winterize Your Yard section has some handy tips to consider. As we climb back into double digits this weekend and the snow clears, get out your gardening gloves one more time and burn off some calories consumed during that Thanksgiving dinner. Alternatively, call in a local landscape professional and relax while they take care of the work for you.

In This Issue:

Express Site Retail Service
Winterizing Your Yard
Profile - Kevin Lemke

Employee Profile

Kevin Lemke,

Express Site Operator

Kevin's terrific smile and charm is a familiar site to clients at our Cochrane Express Site. For over 5 years now Kevin has been operating the site, loading clients with landscaping products, providing information and pricing and tracking inventory.

His down to earth personality blended with a professional approach make for a top customer experience.

In the next issue

In the next issue of Top Spray E-News we will take a look at yard planning, upcoming events and meet a member of our Management team.

See Top Spray's profile on the Facebook community.

Express Site Retail Service

Top Spray is proud to operate two retail locations or "Express Sites". The first is located in Cochrane and the second in the Acheson area

of Edmonton. Both sites open seasonally between April/May and the end of October so you still have time to pickup some Foothills Premium Mulch®. Visa, Mastercard and Interac are all accepted methods of payment.

In addition to the bulk delivery and blower truck application services Top Spray offers, the Express Sites serve as a pickup location to clients. Experienced staff are on-hand to load your truck or trailer for you. Click for hours of operation, directions and more information on Calgary and Edmonton.

Once the Express sites close for the season, please call us at 1-888-51-MULCH to make alternative arrangements for pickups, delivery and applications. Of course you can reach us anytime at www.topspray.com.

Winterizing Your Yard

Lawn Care

On the last cut of the season be sure to remove all grass clippings from your lawn. They provide beneficial nutrients and water to the lawn in summer however if left over winter can mold and damage your turf.

Aerate, dethatch and add a quality organic fertilizer. Topdressing and overseeding is also recommended in sheltered areas but dry windier sites can wait until early spring.

Rake all leaves off your lawn and break them up into your home composter or drop them off at your local municipal recycling or clean up facility where they can be composted. Leaves not collected will mold and attract unwelcome insects and disease.

Trees, Shrubs and Gardens

Prune dead, damaged or diseased branches.

Evergreens should be "watered in" before the ground freezes to reduce the risk of winter burn and dessication of needles.

Remove dead annuals and divide and replant perennials.

Till soil and apply and a couple of inches of compost to your vegetable garden and flowerbeds.

Wrap delicate shrubs or plants with burlap.

Your yard is an investment - protect it by adding 3" of mulch around all trees and shrubs.

Maintenance

Drain and disconnect garden hoses, storing them inside a shed or garage.

If you have an irrigation system disconnect and blow out water from the lines.

Clean, sanitize and lightly oil garden tools before storing. (You don't want to reinfect trees next year that diseased branches were pruned from this year).

Drain the fuel from your lawn mower. Clean the undercarriage, sharpen the blades and lightly oil to prevent rust. Replace or clean the air filter and change the oil. Come spring all you will need is to refill with gas.

Drive and Pathways

Keeping drives and pathways clear over the winter is important to prevent slips and falls. Whenever possible shovel snow before it has a chance to thaw and refreeze as ice.

"Snow farming" is great at home for moving snow onto areas such as flower beds or around trees and hedges to make more water available to these areas. Be particularly sensitive though if you are shoveling snow or ice from a salty drive or pathway - do not shovel salty snow onto plant beds. Build up of too much salt in the soil is toxic to many plants. Salt in moderation and only as needed or look for environmentally friendly salt alternatives.