Precision Lawn Care, Inc. December 2013

Christmas 2013

December Landscape tips

The holidays are upon us and everyone is busy planning for Christmas with family and loved ones. But just in case you don't have enough to do, we thought we'd go ahead and share some December Landscaping Tips for all our gardening enthusiasts!

  • If you are putting up a tree, you may want to consider a rooted tree that you can plant in your landscape after the season as well. You can use some of the pruning's from your tree and for decorations.
  • Keep the leaves gathered up off the Lawn and out of the Landscape beds, they will kill the grass if left all Winter long and deep enough.
  • This a good time of the year to plant bare root shrubs and trees, while the ground is warm
  • Sodding can be done any time of year and winter is a good time. Even if you need Zoysia or Bermuda grass it can be placed while dormant.
  • Roses, strawberry plants and perennials will be grateful for a layer of mulch once the ground has frozen to an inch deep.
  • Cut back perennials to prevent the overwintering of insects and disease. Cut ornamental grasses 3-6 inches
  • Winter is a great time to prune deciduous trees and shrubs
  • Winterize your irrigation, drain water features and put up pots and other items that may fill and freeze. Disconnect nozzles from hoses, and hoses from their spigots, then stretch them out to drain all water before storing them, preferably under cover, for the winter. Put pipe wrap or other protection around your outdoor spigots to prevent freezing.
  • Most of the leaves have fallen off of deciduous trees by mid-December, so it might be a good time for gutter cleaning.
  • Don't forget to water plants where rain doesn't reach. Look for areas that are dry after a heavy rain and supplement water, places like under roof overhangs or under trees, etc.
  • Feed the birds. Don't forget to stock up on birdseed and keep those feeders full this winter. Plastic buckets filled with water will help them during dry times. If you are interested in attracting certain species of birds, ask your garden store dealer for recommendations.
  • You also may want to stock up on kitty litter, sand, and plant fertilizer soon. They all make good substitutes for salt, which can run off into the grass and "poison the soil" when used to melt ice off walks and driveways.

Need Help? Call us today!

If you like our Newsletter you can sign up to get your copy every month. Go to our site at http://www.precisionlawncareinc.com. and enter your name and email in the subscription box.

The Little Gifts of Christmas

By now many people are well into the Christmas shopping season. The big items are probably already purchased but inexpensive stocking stuffers and little "remembrance" gifts are always good to have on hand for those people who drop by unexpectedly. You know, the ones whom you love, but you just did not include them on your list, because, frankly, you just did not think of them.

One solution to this problem is to do Christmas baking or candy making and set aside some small decorated offerings that are just waiting in the wings to fill this gap. When you bring them out, you get to bless your friends, and they feel pleased to be remembered. They don't have to know it was a "last minute" thing and it spreads the Christmas cheer just a little bit farther!

This is the time of year when the old tried and true recipes come out because they don't require a lot of expensive ingredients and are often easy to make but remind us of Christmas when we were young. We like to pass those traditions on to the younger folks in the family as well.

A small decorated paper plate of iced sugar cookies, lemon bars, and a few slices of ginger bread are always good to have around for gift giving. A clear plastic cup full of fudge and a peppermint candy cane wrapped in plastic wrap and tied with red or green curling ribbon is a very fast way to wrap and decorate at the same time. If you happen to have some Christmas themed stickers you can paste one on the side, too, and add to the Christmas feel. It can all be done very quickly for the giver, but receiving a little Christmas remembrance like this really is fun. People like it. Who doesn't need just a little seasonal treat at this time of year?

Another thing that you can do is go online to order Christmas or holiday themed pocket calendars or candles for less than ten dollars a dozen. The Oriental Trading Company is a good example of a place to purchase these items so you can have them around to hand out at the last minute. They even have little homey wooden perpetual calendars with seasonal toppers that can be placed on a desk or counter but these are not sold by the dozen. OTC ships these out so fast you will have them in about three or four days. They also have tons of other Christmas or holiday themed stuff for teachers and group leaders who want to give out something small but not spend a life savings on the items.

The fun of Christmas is being remembered with a gift. If you can bless someone else with a little something to eat, or a calendar, or candle, something that they might actually use later, it makes this special holiday a little more cheerful for everyone.

Little gifts of Christmas treats are appreciated by the homeless, too, so put some in your car and when you see someone you'd like to "gift" then you have something handy to accomplish this goal. A few bucks and some Christmas fudge can go a long way to lift the spirits and remind them of the reason for the season - which is to spread the love of Christ. Being remembered in this way, can make it a little less lonely out there.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Good Will to all
From all the folks at Precision!!