Landscape Maintenance

Learning Objectives List the tools required for general landscape

maintenance.

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods of irrigation.

Describe four mulches suitable for use in landscapes.

Recognize common landscape plant problems, such as crossing branches, girdling roots, and suckering.

List the three main purposes of pruning.

Low Maintenance Landscapes

Features: Groundcover areas instead of lawns Mulches around trees and shrubs Automatic irrigation system Low-maintenance plants Flowering shrubs rather than annual and

perennial flowers Plants that are disease-and insect-resistant Plant adapted to the local climate

Tools Soil-working tools

Watering equipment

Rakes

Fertilizing Equipment

Power Equipment Hedge trimmer –good for long sections of formal hedge

Power blower–blowing grass and leaves off paved areas

String trimmer –trim grass beside paved areas

Edger–maintains a clean line between turf and non-turf areas

Chain Saw –removal of large trees and shrubs

Power pruner –for high branches

Safety around Power Equipment

Eye protection

Remove sticks, stones, and other debris

Keep people and pets 50 ft. away

Do not use lawn edgers in graveled areas

Hearing protection around gas-powered (2-stroke) engines

Safety footwear

Irrigation Sprinklers

Hand-watering

Drip or trickle irrigation

Fertilizing Timing

o Usually just before or during active plant growtho Spring most common

Rateo Trees: 6 lbs actual N per 1,000 sq fto Shrubs: 2-4 lbs actual N per 100 sq fto Groundcovers: 2-4 lbs actual N per 1,000 sq ft

Cultural Weed Control Hand-pulling

Cultivating with a hoe

Weed barriers

Mulching

Solarization

Chemical Weed Control Pre-emergence

o Trifluralino Oryzalino Only kill germinating seedlings, not established plants

Post-emergenceo 2,4-D (dandelion control in lawns)o Glyphosate(non-selective, spot-treatment)o Kill weeds on contact

Bio-herbicideso Wheat or corn gluten meal

Mulches Organic

o Plant-derivedo Should be weed-and pesticide-freeo Shredded bark, pine straw, etc

Inorganico Rocko Marble chipso Recycled tires

Common Landscape Problems

Suckers

Mower Blight

Crossing Branches

Stem Girdling Roots

Why Prune? Size Control

Health Improvement

Appearance

Review Questions Name three examples of personal protective gear

to be worn around power equipment.

A benefit of drip irrigation is that water is applied directly to roots of desired plants, minimizing growth of __________.

Describe one major difference between organic and inorganic mulches.

Mulching around landscape plants can protect trees from which common landscape problem?