Willamette Seasons

December 2020 

A Leaf from Our Playbook

Upcoming Winter Maintenance

Leaf cleanup is nearing an end, but we will continue with this task until all the leaves are down and removed. If you have any leaf questions, contact our office as we will be closed starting December 21st, opening again on Monday, January 4th.

In December and January we focus on cleaning all beds thoroughly, edging, pruning, and, if desired, mulching.

 

This is the time of year to renew certain shrubs by cutting them down close to ground level. Other shrubs benefit by removing older or damaged branches and increasing air movement. Where appropriate, shrubs are shaped or pruned for size control. Low hanging tree limbs are also removed. If you have particular pruning needs that go beyond regular maintenance, give us a call.

 

Mulch is an important topping for all beds, and, because it is done only once a year, is an add-on beyond regular maintenance contracts. Soil is vulnerable to erosion from wind and rain when exposed, and the ultraviolet light found in natural sunlight kills beneficial organisms found in soil. In nature, forest soil and grasslands are covered by a layer of decomposing organic litter. In city landscapes, where we constantly remove the leaves and dying vegetation, we protect soil with a layer of compost or bark. We highly recommend covering your soil at this time of year.

 

The mulching choices are hemlock bark (sliver free), three grades of fir bark, regular compost, or OMRI certified compost. We’d be happy to talk with you about the choices, their costs and make arrangements to mulch your beds.

 

Staff Training

At Thompson, we believe in constantly improving our teams’ landscape skills. Currently, our Account Managers are engaged in online landscape management coursework, and our crew has also begun a video series. We look forward to continuing to report about our staff as they progress through our training program.

 

Winter Bloomers

 We tend to think of bare limbs and little plant activity in the winter garden, but a number of plants actually flower during these cold months. Examples include Camelia sasanqua, some hellebores, witch hazel, a number of heaths in the genus Erica and more. All these bloom in late fall and before the earliest spring bloomers that start in February. So, get outside and enjoy the winter flowers – many of them are fragrant! 

 

An End to this Challenging Year

It’s no news to anyone what a challenging year 2020 has been. It looks as though 2021 may bring us relief and resolution from the pandemic. In the meantime we want to send all of you our hopes for a safe holiday season and for healthy families.

 

We will be closed…

from December 21, reopening on Monday, January 4th.

Get in Touch

Does your commercial property need a little TLC? Treat your landscape as an asset that speaks to your customers. We can help.

 
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