Have you thought about your irrigation system during the winter months or what you need to do to properly get your system running in the Spring? A properly maintained irrigation system will help bring back your spring plants; blooming flowers, budding trees, and growing grass are all signs that the warmer weather is either coming or has already arrived. If this is happening, you may want to start getting your irrigation system ready. Here are a few steps that should be done to guarantee efficient water flow and energy bills. Do a Systems Check Before you turn on your water you should check you ..read more

As we entered 2024 with New Year’s parties and festivities, mother nature decided to bring precipitation in the forms of rain, snow, and mostly freezing rain for much of Salem and surrounding areas. One of the storms left much of the Willamette Valley covered in snow and ice for almost a week. Once the freezing temperatures ended the weather did not and we received heavy rainfall that helped melt the ice that covered everything. This mix does not work well for most property owners as the ground cannot absorb all the water. This leaves our yards and landscapes with standing water and our stream ..read more

Why should you aerate the lawn? Aeration is an essential step in lawn maintenance. Unfortunately, many property owners don’t realize this and try to cut corners by skipping it. Some assume that just adding water to the soil is enough to keep it loose and aerated. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t skip aeration: Heavy Traffic and Regular Use – If you walk and play on the lawn or drive vehicles over it regularly, it will eventually become compacted because of the weight and pressure. Newly constructed homes and properties also have heavily compacted soil due to the movement of constr ..read more

In our last blog post, we talked about professional careers in the landscaping industry and how to pursue one. Working in the landscaping industry may not even hit the radar of most people when they start job hunting.  However, if you talk to people who started working in the field, most will say it provided both stable and interesting employment with tremendous growth potential. If you like working outside, being independent, and learning how to care for our earth this job… and possibly career can be very fulfilling. For people who dread being trapped in an office all day or enjoy workin ..read more

It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year, but don’t let candles, candy canes, and Christmas carols deflect you from keeping yourself and your home safe this holiday season. Your beautiful decorations could turn into something much more dangerous without following proper safety procedures.  When searching for your tree, be sure to seek out the freshest one you can find. One of the most common accidents that happen during the holidays is fires. Keep the tree away from fireplaces, radiators, and space heaters. Ensure your tree stand is sturdy, so it does not fall over. Before hanging ..read more

Winter is fast approaching, but that does not mean your gardening has to end. You can continue to grow and enjoy fresh produce due to the number of plants that thrive in the winter. You may want to start with some winter gardening supplies. A cold frame is a simple structure that utilizes solar energy to create a microclimate within your garden. They are used to retain heat and protect plants from strong winds.  Onions and garlic are both frost-resistant and adaptable, these plants provide a great seasoning throughout the winter season. Onions and shallots can survive incredibly cold temp ..read more

Nobles, Grands, and Douglas Firs are the best Christmas trees to get this Holiday season! The most popular types of Christmas trees are fir trees because they shed fewer needles when they dry and maintain their scent and color.  Douglas firs are the most common type of tree in the US! They are grown and shipped all over North America. They have 1-1.5 inch dark green, soft needles that radiate in all directions from the stem, providing a beautiful, full look. They retain their color and scent long into the winter and are great for hanging ornaments and lights.  Noble fir is soft-needl ..read more

Because of the pandemic, many people are still choosing to stay home for the holidays.  That may make having a traditional Christmas with a real tree an essential part of a family celebration.  Getting your perfect tree early this year will be necessary as the demand may be greater than the supply. While we were sweltering in over 110-degree heat last summer, the last thing we were thinking about was Christmas. Now, with the holidays just weeks away and the effect of the weather on our tree farms is realized. Oregon is the United States’ largest producer of Christmas trees, and the i ..read more

Fall is in full swing, with pumpkins on porches and leaves on the ground. Keeping up with raking can be tiresome, which is why composting in the fall is extra beneficial. Composting is the process of adding natural recycled material (like those pesky leaves, or even vegetable scraps) to the garden in order to make your soil richer. Using compost for lawn fertilizer is an ideal organic substitute. Follow these tips and tricks below to seize the benefits of Fall composting. Wait until the leaves start turning brown before raking them up. Leaves are carbon-rich and small enough to be easily added ..read more

Pumpkin patches, scary movies, and apple cider? Oh my! Halloween must be right around the corner. Check out these DIY Halloween decoration tips to make your house ready for spooky season. Cobwebs: These can be purchased or made at home in a few easy steps. Ripped-up cheesecloth with plastic spiders mixed in will look perfectly spooky.  Bats: You will need black construction paper. Print and cut out an outline of a bat and create cut-outs using the paper. From far away, your neighbors will be urging you to call an exterminator. Spooky Eyes: You will need a paper towel or toilet paper roll ..read more