The Connection Bernards-Ridge Edition January February 2015

PAGE 80 Maria Colman " ! ! Call Louise today at 908-307-4451 for a free consultation. www.LaurelliDesigns.com email: louiseat212@yahoo.com 3 OLD QUARRY ROAD BERNARDSVILLE 908-953-0660 www.accessselfstorage.com NEED STORAGE? Call or stop in and get your 2nd Month FREE! Access in Lakeview Industrial Park access Use our truck FREE! We’re Here to Help Chimney Relining Specialist • Built • Cleaned • Repaired • Caps & Dampers • Relined • Inspections All Types of Masonry & Roofing Insured • Estimates Given Office: 973-728-1635 Roger Cell: 973-610-2894 John Cell: 973-525-4738 jjameson1957@gmail.com Lic. #13VH0153600 Senior Discounts Chimney Spring cleaning isn’t only for your home’s interior. If your landscaping is overgrown or lacking in curb appeal, it’s visible to the entire neighborhood. With some attention and effort, you can get your outdoor area looking like a photo- graph from a landscape design book. Once temperatures begin to climb, fol- low these tips to properly awaken your outdoor treasures from their winter slumber: 1. SURVEY THE DAMAGE. Put on your investigator’s hat, and inspect your property. After the harsh conditions of winter, it is important to check the integrity of your landscape and outdoor structures. For example, if you have a wooden deck, examine it for mold. This is also a good time to inspect for visible cracks in the swimming pool and assess dead or damaged plants and trees that may need to be replaced. Once you have inventoried the damage, you can prioritize and devise a plan. 2. CREATE A LUSH LAWN. Grass begins to grow approximately one month into spring. Once the ground has thawed, use a dry rake, power rake or thatcher to remove dead patches in the lawn. To activate growth, apply fertiliz- er, while using a pre-emergent to dis- courage crabgrass from growing. Begin around the third week of March and continue throughout April – roughly the same time the forsythia flower blooms. Many new natural and organic products are now available! 3. PRUNE PERENNIAL PLANTS. Perennial plants survive the winter because of their underground roots. As they awaken from dormancy, you should cut them back to promote healthy growth, if you haven’t already pruned them in the fall. Ornamental grasses, Russian Sage, Black-Eyed Susans and But- terfly bushes are among the plants that should be pruned in spring. Timing is everything when it comes to pruning. Woody ornamentals, such as lavender, must be cut back in late spring to avoid risk of losing the plant. Improper pruning, such as cutting the flower buds off of hydrangeas, is a common mistake. When in doubt, research online to define the proper time and technique for pruning. 4. FERTILIZE YOUR PLANTS. Like every living entity, plants require nourishment. Thanks to the recent “green” movement, there’s more inter- est in composting than ever before. Using organic material from your own garbage as fertilizer (think eggshells and leftover salad) will work if you turn over your compost pile regularly to increase oxygen which helps in the decomposi- tion process. Another idea is to use ani- mal manure from pigeons, horses or cows, which you can buy at your local nursery in a ready-to-use form. I suggest Osmocote for balanced soil and Plan- tone for perennials; Perlite will prevent the reduction of soil pore space and pro- mote root expansion. 5. DIVISION AND TRANSPLANT. Early spring is the perfect time to split your perennials in order to get more plants out of them and move them to other parts of the garden. It is also a great time to repurpose existing trees or shrubs that may have outgrown their current location or were initially mis- placed. 6. DEFEND AGAINST BUGS. Even if you do not have pests in your garden, you may want to take preven- tive measures by applying pesticides. There are a variety of options, from spraying a fine dust to adding ladybugs to control other insects. Two organic treatments to try are insecticidal soap and hot pepper wax spray. You can search online to find the method or product that is right for your garden and then follow the manufacturer’s instruc- tions for handling and application. 7. CHECK YOUR SPRINKLERS. Beginning the first week of May, water your garden for 30 minutes each day, in the early morning or in the evening. In June, begin watering twice daily. Your sprinkler clocks must be set accordingly, and test them early in the season to ensure they are working properly. Switching to a low-volume sprinkler head will help you conserve water. 8. MIND YOUR GUTTERS. You’ll be tempted to clean out your gutters at the very onset of spring, but wait until around the third week in May after the pollen has fallen. Then remove any debris and pollen and clean them thoroughly. 9. RESTORE LIGHTING, DECKS, AND PATHWAYS. Re-stain wooden decks, make sure path- ways are free of limbs and debris leftover from winter storms, and replace any light bulbs that no longer work. 10. PREP THE POOL. Have your pool’s special features such as waterfalls, fountains and infinity edges as well as drain covers, lighting and tile surfaces inspected annually by a builder or pool professional. If all elements of the pool are inspected at the time of opening, minor issues can be resolved so they won’t become larger problems mid- season. Spring is right around the corner! The above steps will help you prepare your outdoor area for the upcoming season. If any or all of the above tasks seem daunting, enlist the help of a profession- al to have your outdoor area looking and functioning at its best! SPRING AWAKENING By: Shannon Savage of Plant Solutions www.theconnectionsnj.com