Newsletter

Welcome to the ProGrass information center! My name is Steve Varga and each month I will be providing you with updated seasonal information on landscape care. Please check back regularly for current information that will help you have a better landscape and get the most out of your ProGrass services. Also be sure to check my care tip sheets and if you have any questions please click on my question and answer icon.

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Past Newsletters

Summer 2007

A Letter From Your Area Service Representative

I'd like to take the opportunity to introduce myself and tell you a little about my responsibilities in caring for your landscape.

Every time I visit your landscape, I take a good look around. I'm looking for opportunities to do more than provide you with NaturalCare service...I want to put in that extra effort to give you top-notch service...to do things the right way.

This may mean an extra walk-through of your landscape to check on the lawn and plants, inspecting for pruning needs or answering questions you and your neighbors may have about ways to make a positive difference to our environment.

These extra efforts will compliment your NaturalCare program and can make a big difference during the growing season. For example, I might recommend over-seeding with a high quality perennial rye grass seed. It's one of the best ways toward having a chemical-free lawn. Thicker grass means fewer weeds, less moss, and fewer annual grasses can establish. It's just good common-sense to prevent problems before they occur.

I appreciate that you've made the decision to use NaturalCare. It shows that you care about the health and beauty of your landscape, and also about the health of our environment.

I'd like to ask for your help in spreading the word about ProGrass' NaturalCare services. Recommending NaturalCare to your friends and neighbors is an easy way to make a positive difference!

In between my visits to your landscape, please be my "eyes" and let me know about developments in your lawn and landscape. I want to hear from you! And, please don't forget you can help create more sustainable landscapes in our community by referring me to your neighbors and friends.

Thank you for your continued trust in ProGrass!

Ask Steve

Q:Should I be worried about insects in my lawn?

Steve:All lawns have insects. Most of them are harmless and many of them actually help a lawn decompose organic material. Seeing a few bugs flying, jumping or crawling around doesn't mean you have a problem.

However, we have seen greater-than- average populations of cranefly larvae this Spring. Cranefly is a flying insect which resembles a giant mosquito. While it looks fierce, it does not bite or feed. It only lays eggs.The damaging life cycle appears between December and May, when a plump gray soil-dwelling larvae feeds on the above-ground grass parts. The result is your lawn vanishing. If you can stop the damage quickly, the grass often grows back. Cranefly cannot be controlled proactively; they must be feeding at the time of treatment to control them. If you notice thin or bare lawn areas or the larvae, please call us immediately for a safe, effective treatment.

Outdoor Entertaining Trends

Maybe it's because we live with the rain all winter, but when summer rolls around, we're ready to get outside and entertain. From a simple family barbecue to an elegant evening under the stars, Northwesterners like to entertain.

Outdoor living spaces continue to be the hottest trend in outdoor entertaining. Outdoor kitchens, fireplaces or fire pits and garden rooms have all become very popular.

Kitchens can be very elaborate with a plumbed sink and refrigerator, or simply a barbecue built into a tile counter area.

Fireplaces and fire pits allow for entertaining in the cooler months, so it's no surprise that we regularly install these for our customers. Nothing draws people together like the warm glow of fire!

Lastly, outdoor garden rooms are generally created by installing a pergola or other overhead structure, with small shrubs or plants in containers creating the "walls".

If you're interested in creating your own outdoor living space, give us a call. We'd love to hear your ideas for your special space, and show you photos of areas we've created.

Plant Focus

Japanese Snowbell Styrax japonicus

May and June are the months when the Japanese Snowbell blossoms into glory. Its blooms are well-known for their glorious scent, and it blooms a bit later than other deciduous trees, putting on a show after most blossoms are gone.

This deciduous tree, which will reach a mature height of 15-25 feet, with a similar width, has low and horizontal branching. Its flowers are perfectly bell-shaped and white, although there is one cultivar, 'Pink Chimes', which is available. Another cultivar, 'Emerald Pagoda', grows in a columnar habit.

It prefers sun to part shade, and does best in acid soil supplemented with organic matter. It is considered mostly trouble-free in terms of insect and pest problems. It is sometimes grown as a bushy tree or shrub. Hardy to USDA Zone 5. Native to China and Japan.

Plant Focus plant choice from GardenWorld Nursery. Plant facts from Oregon State University Horticulture Department.

Treat Your Trees and Shrubs Right

Did you know that ProGrass offers an Ornamental Plant Care service designed to give your trees, shrubs and perennials all the care they need? Many of us think of the lawn first when we think about our landscapes. We tend to overlook our plant material, even though it is often a much bigger investment than the lawn.

ProGrass' Ornamental Plant Care program has been developed by our chief horticulturist to address the needs of plant material in our region. It incorporates nutrients and soil enhancements which are not typically included by the average service company. We feel your plant material is too important to settle for anything but the best care.

NaturalCare Plus Ornamental Plant Care includes:

• Organic soil amendments for trees, shrubs and perennials to provide nutrients for plant health, including trace nutrients to improve stress resistance
• Horticultural oil to help control over-wintering insect pests
• Copper treatments to reduce foliar disease
• Organic soil enhancements and mycorrhizae to help transfer nutrients from the soil to your plants, break up compacted soil and aid in water retention
• Biological, botanical or soap-based control methods for damaging insects

Contact customer service for more information on NaturalCare Plus Ornamental Plant Care, or for information on proper pruning of your trees and shrubs.

E-Coupons Are Here!

Start receiving valuable ProGrass coupons via e-mail! We are replacing the coupon printed in your newsletter with an E-Coupon program to offer you more ways to save money on ProGrass services. To sign up for our exclusive offers, please e-mail us at: customerservice@prograss.com Please include your full name and address.