What is the LRC maintenance program?
LRC's regular maintenance program runs according to the
growing season of your landscape rather than the calendar. Normal maintenance includes
foliar fertilization, pest monitoring and recommendations. Soil fertilization, pest
control, and weed control can be added as part of the regular maintenance program at the
discretion of the client. During the winter LRC also offers pruning and dormant pest
control applications.
Fertilization:
At LRC we design our dry soil fertilizer applications to
improve soil fertility. This is in contrast to chemical fertilizer programs that simply
feed the plant. A fertile soil grows healthier, pest and drought resistant plants. LRC
recommends our laboratory soil analysis to determine what nutrients are currently
available and those that require supplementation. From the results of the soil test LRC
recommends the blending and application of a customized organic soil fertilizer. Depending
on the test results this soil fertilizer is applied two or three times a year to your
entire landscape. In some instances different areas or plants (i.e., acid loving plants)
will receive different fertilizer formulations.
Approximately once a month (during the growing season) LRC
applies a custom liquid foliar fertilizer to your entire landscape (excluding tall trees).
This provides "nutrient insurance". Plants under stress (caused by such things
as unseasonably high temperatures and improper irrigation) cannot obtain the nutrients
required to maintain health and pest resistance. Liquid organic fertilizers applied to the
leaves prevents any nutrient deficiencies, therefore, maintaining the plants health and
pest resistance. While applying the foliar fertilizer we monitor for landscape pests.
Recommendations:
Upon each visit to your landscape any changes that should
be made in management of the landscape are conveyed to the property owner (manager).
Typically this consists of items such as altering irrigation schedules, changing mowing
height and frequency, sharpening mower blades, or applying mulch around shrubs.
Organic pest control:
LRC does not apply pest control products on a routine basis
as do chemical landscape care companies. LRC deals with the cause of pest invasions in
contrast to chemical treatments that only treat the symptoms. LRC prevents pests from
becoming a problem. Customized fertilizer applications maintain a fertile soil alive with
microbes that help fight off pests. Routine foliar fertilizations maintain the health of
plants and enables them to better resist pest attack. Finally, frequent monitoring
discovers pests early so they can be controlled naturally before they become a serious
problem. LRC utilizes only natural pest control products that are allowed by California's
organic food laws.
If pests are found during routine monitoring (or by our
client in-between visits) our response depends on the pest and the action required to
achieve control. In some cases the pest can easily and quickly be eliminated with minor
environmental manipulation. In those cases we usually take care of the problem immediately
on the spot. If more extensive treatment is required or natural pest control products are
necessary, we contact the property owner (or manager) and discuss the possible plans of
action.
Do not expect weeds to be totally eliminated from your
lawn. No landscape service or herbicide can achieve a weed free lawn. In most cases LRC
encourages clover (previously considered a weed) as an integral part of the lawn. Clover
is more drought tolerant than grass, greens up faster, and it loosens the soil favoring
grass growth over weed competition. Clover also manufactures nitrogen reducing the amount
of fertilizer that must be supplemented.
Since pest control (other than monitoring) is not truly a
routine activity and generally not necessary it is normally not included in the regular
fee. If pest control work is required and agreed upon by the client the fee will usually
be added to their regular bill.
Weed control in pavement cracks:
Weeds growing in cracks of driveways and walkways are a
problem that have been difficult to control in the past without herbicides. LRC now is
offering a chemical free alternative: flame weeding. Using our specially designed
singafier undesirable weeds are incinerated.
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