Keller Landscape Design, LLC

Change in Operations

2011-02-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

Beginning in 2011, Keller Landscape Design will become a design-only operation serving other landscape companies, architects and construction firms on a 1099 basis. I am working full-time for another firm right now and can't dedicate the time and resources to a full-scale design and installation company anymore.

Thank you for your business over the years, and contact me if you have any questions or referrals.

10 Watering and Irrigation Tips

2006-08-03T09:56:00.000-04:00

The heat is on here in New Jersey, with temperatures up and over the 100 degree mark this week. Most towns will probably impose water restrictions if this hot weather keeps up. But in the meantime, here are some tips to optimize your water usage this summer.

1. Water only when needed. Water deeply enough to saturate the roots and then let the soil dry. Watering too often can result in shallow roots, weed growth, fungus and plant disease.

2. Water at the proper time. Water when the sun is low or down, winds are calm and temperatures are cool to reduce evaporation. You can lose as much as 30% of water to evaporation by watering in the middle of the day.

3. Consider low-volume drip or micro irrigation for plant beds, gardens, trees or shrubs. Low-volume irrigation slowly releases small amounts of water, minimizing evaporation, runoff and overspray and putting water exactly where the plant can use it.

4. Adjust your watering schedule to the weather and the season. Familiarize yourself with the settings on your irrigation controller or sprinkler timer. Monitor the schedule regularly for changes in weather and temperature.

5. Regularly inspect your irrigation system, water lines and sprinklers. Check for leaks, clogged filters and broken or jammed heads. Adjust sprinkler heads. Correct obstructions that prevent sprinklers from distributing water evenly and make sure heads are properly set to avoid watering pavement or buildings, creating unnecessary runoff.

6. The Irrigation Association recommends that you schedule each individual zone in your irrigation system. "Water requirements can vary depending on the type of sprinkler, sun or shade exposure, plant and soil type. The same watering schedule should almost never apply to all zones in the system. "

7. If you're watering by hand, invest in a nozzle with multiple settings. Different areas benefit from different types of water distribution. Lawns and trees prefer soakings while vegetables, flowers and perennials do better with a light spray or misting. If you have a sloped property, water from top to bottom, tapering off the amount of water as you move downhill.

8. Consider “smart” technology. Climate or soil moisture sensor-based controllers automatically adjust the watering schedule to account for weather changes and to meet the specific needs of your landscape.

9. Install a rain shutoff switch on your sprinkers. In fact, many states and cities now require them. These devices are fairly inexpensive and effective at preventing watering in rainy weather. A rain shutoff device can be retrofitted to almost any irrigation system.

10. Hire a professional to conduct an irrigation audit to make sure your system irrigates uniformly. Brown spots can be a sign that portions of the yard are being under watered or overwatered, a situation that can be corrected using information from an audit. The Irrigation Association maintains an online list of IA Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditors.

July landscape tip

2006-07-11T10:19:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts and updates lately. We're in full summer swing here at Keller Landscape Design and our time spent behind a desk is minimal these days. Anyway, here's a quick household landscape tip:

Vinyl shower curtain liners seem to get moldy and scummy faster in the summer and need to be replaced more often. But don't throw them away! Old liners make great landscape tarps! Plus, you'll be doing the environment a favor by not throwing them away. They're durable and work great for piling and hauling mulch, leaves & soil around the yard. The clear ones are especially useful as a compost cover since they allow light to permeate and speed up decomposition. And in a pinch, shower curtain liners can be used on the job site to cover vulnerable areas from pop-up thunderstorms.

If you have any other uses for household items in the garden, we'd love to hear from you. Until then, stay cool and happy summer!

A quick tip before seeding your lawn

2006-06-13T12:37:00.000-04:00

The window of opportunity for seeding or overseeding your lawn is closing fast. Mid-June signals the end of spring and, correspondingly, the end of the seeding period for cool-climate grasses that are prominent here in New Jersey. After next week, we'd recommend waiting until mid-September to scatter grass seed.

But in these waning days of spring, here's a tip to help shorten the germination time of your grass seed and assure it will sprout before the sun & heat burns the seeds to a crisp. The night before you are going to sow, store your bag of grass seed in the freezer. When the cold seed hits the warm ground the next day, the shell will release and allow water to seep in at a quicker rate, thus creating a false process of stratification. As always, make sure you maintain watering and cover your seeded area with Penn Mulch or hay straw (if you don't mind a few weeds).

Common reasons that plants won't flower

2006-05-10T09:20:00.000-04:00

We get this email almost every day:

"Why isn't my [insert plant name] flowering this year?"

Without taking an accurate look at the plant in question to see if it's actually alive and healthy, some common reasons that a plant that once flowered is no longer flowering are:

* Recent or improper transplanting
* Too much shade
* Excessive fertilization (fertilizers encourage green growth only)
* Improper pruning
* Disease, pests or even animals

Consider the changes, if any, that your plant has gone through during the past year. If you have patience, wait until next year to see if the flowering returns. If not, sadly it might be time to let go.

Oh, and that Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is not native to New Jersey. Furthermore, most Crape Myrtles are not hardy enough to survive our winters. But they will act as a perennial, sprouting new growth and even some pink/white flowers in the summer. However, Crape Myrtles Inc claims to have patented cold-hardy plants for the Northeast.

Landscapers: The New Stewards of the Earth?

2006-04-16T08:40:00.000-04:00

Since it is Easter Sunday, I thought it appropriate to somehow intertwine religion and landscaping. It has long been a theory that God has graced us with the duty of being watchful, caring and obedient stewards of the land. On the other hand, it has been argued that Christians are solely responsible for the destruction of the Earth due to an over-zealous interpretation of the book of Genesis. Anyhow, way back in 1977, Dr. J. Patrick Dobel, an assistant professor of political theory at the University of Michigan at Dearborn, wrote an interesting article citing the scriptures as they pertain to our stewardship (not the demise) of the Earth’s resources and Christianity's place in the ecological movement. It's a lengthy read, but much can be learned from it and perhaps we can discover how each of us, regardless of our religious affiliation, fits into God's plan of preserving the Earth for future generations.

Happy Easter!

Stewards of the Earth’s Resources: A Christian Response to Ecology

Hydrangea and Hosta beware!

2006-04-01T17:51:00.000-05:00

Today's April Fool's Day, but this one's for real. Be on the lookout this year for Cottony Cushion Scale -- a bug whose young feed on the sap of hydrangea and hosta plants, causing a weakening of the plant's leaves, stems and stalks. It gives the appearance of a fuzzy white residue on the leaves, especially on the underside. It is a cause for concern, but there are sprays on the market that can keep the little buggers at bay.

If you have a gardening question or useful tip, email us at KellerLandscapeDesign@gmail.com

Urban Legend: Termites in Mulch

2006-03-26T14:20:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot of hubbub lately about an email floating around the internet alerting people about the dangers of the Formosan termite. As this email claims, cheap mulch being shipped southern Louisiana is the by-product of trees, housing materials and wood debris from the Hurricane Katrina disaster and is now showing up in large home improvement stores (e.g., Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.) as well as local nurseries. Well, most of this email is false, and Landscape Online did a good article recently dispelling much of this myth.

So as Kramer from Seinfeld once so eloquently espoused, "You gotta mulch...you gotta."

La Niña Strikes Back!

2006-02-08T13:32:00.000-05:00

Wondering why it’s 60 degrees in January? Pondering whether to invest in a new sump pump in February rather than a new snow blower? Well, maybe the brain trust at the NOAA has an answer for the very mild winter we’re experiencing this year in New Jersey.

Last week, weather scientists announced the official return of La Niña -- the periodic cooling of ocean waters in the east-central equatorial Pacific that can impact weather patterns around the world. NOAA predicts that La Niña will likely remain into late spring, and possibly into summer. Typically, this pattern will favor drought in parts of the South and Southwest, and above normal precipitation in the Northwest and the Tennessee Valley area. In the East, La Niña events favor increased Atlantic hurricane activity, warmer temperatures in the winter and increased precipitation.

Now, before you get all hyped up that spring has arrived early and you can start gardening, just remember that the groundhog did see his shadow last week. And last time La Niña came around, we had record snowfall in the months of March and April. Yes indeed, like it or not, six more weeks of winter folks.

See you all in the (true) spring!

Seasons Greetings

2005-12-05T10:36:00.000-05:00

From all of us here at Keller Landscape Design, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year. Thank you for making 2005 the most successful year in our little company's short history. As we continue to grow, we look forward to making new friends and clients next year, and hope we can continue to build on relationships we've already forged.

If you have any landscaping questions you want answered during the off-season or want to schedule an appointment for next year, please feel free to email us at KellerLandscapeDesign@gmail.com.

Happy holidays!

Sweetening your soil by adding lime

2005-11-17T13:38:00.000-05:00

We're nearing the end of November and, subsequently, the end of our outdoor gardening season here in the Northeast. But one last task you can tackle before the snow falls is to add lime to areas where you plan on adding grass seed, sod or new plantings next year.

This year, Keller Landscape Design did more lawn replacement and installation jobs than ever before. But one of the first tasks we have to do before we get started is perform a soil test to check the pH levels. In many cases, when the pH level was too low (the pH scale goes from 1-14, so anything below a 6) we added lime in order to "sweeten" the soil. Sounds odd, since if you sucked on a lime it would be sour. Well, adding lime (the mineral, not the fruit) will raise the pH level in areas where soil is naturally “sour” or acidic, and it's an extremely important step to growing healthy turf (if the pH level is too high, sulfur will lower it to the right level). Lime helps improve lawn color and density, helps control thatch, and increases root development. In addition, soil that is too acidic causes what's called “fertilizer lock-up," a condition whereby fertilizer and important micro-nutrients become locked up in the soil and unavailable to the roots.

Some people ask, "Well, can't I just add lime when I'm seeding or laying sod?" Under normal circumstances it isn't recommended to seed and lime at the same time. The purpose of lime is to correct pH problems, and soil should be in a more neutral position to assure better results. Additionally, dependent upon the type of lime applied, it tends to be hydrophilic and that could potentially slow seed germination. Lime applications in November or December are ideal, because it takes several months for the lime to correct the pH of the soil. So applying it now would give it a chance to seep in, and by spring you'll be ready to go.

A proper soil test and the right application of lime (or sulfur) will help keep the chemistry of your soil in balance so that next year you'll have a thicker, greener and healthier lawn. For more information, or to schedule a consultation, email us at KellerLandscapeDesign@gmail.com

Garden winterization tips

2005-11-05T17:20:00.000-05:00

Winter's on the way, and here at Keller Landscape Design, we're getting a lot of calls and emails from clients on how to protect their new landscape investments from the cold weather. A few tips:

Shield young broadleaf evergreens from direct winter winds with a layer of burlap.
Pull any weeds from newly gardened areas, give a thorough watering and cover with a fresh layer of mulch. Be sure not to bury the trunks of new plants too deep.
Make sure newly-planted trees over 4 feet tall are securely staked.
Cut away spent flowers and stalks from perennials and perennial grasses.
Avoid the temptation of fertilizing new plantings, as this can burn the tender roots.
Lay down extra grass seed and a top dressing of straw, peat moss or pellet mulch on bare lawn spots. Fertilize older exisiting lawn areas with a good winter fertilizer.
Plant spring bulbs, and lay a covering on mulch on top.
Move any container plants (except coniferous evergreens) into a garage, shed or other sheltered area to prevent roots from freezing.
If you have perennials or young trees in containers, you can still plant them in the ground up until the first frost.
Prune branches from non-flowering trees and shrubs.
Clear away debris from drains, gutters and spillways.

Many of us spend the winter months worrying about the plants we worked so hard throughout the summer maintaining. But with the proper precautions, they'll be alive and healthy when the snow thaws and the weather warms. Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to email us at KellerLandscapeDesign@gmail.com.

See? It's not too late.

2005-10-21T17:56:00.000-04:00

As we stated last month, most evergreens can be planted up until the first major frost. With proper watering and a good layer of mulch, your new plants will adapt well to their new home and survive the coming winter. Make sure to cover young evergreens that face harsh winter winds with garden cover or burlap.

The plants in this photo were just installed at the end of October. Included are: Chesapeake Holly, Gold Thread Cypress, Summer Heather, Emerald Gold Euonymous, Sea Green Juniper and Green Mountain Boxwood.

If you have any questions about what to plant in the fall, email us at KellerLandscapeDesign@gmail.com

Autumn landscape projects

2005-09-15T13:06:00.000-04:00

To answer a question we've been getting a lot lately; no, it's not too late to get started on your new landscape design plan for your home. In fact, with the leaves beginning to fall, autumn is an excellent time to have your property looked at because it gives a "true" glimpse of what the land really looks like -- especially in the winter months. Furthermore, the fall is a great time to plant most broadleaf evergreens, conifers and especially spring-blooming bulbs. Pruning hollies and other shrubs is best done in the cooler months as well. And removing old plant material is much easier when the leaves are off.

Our labor rates are cut virtually in half this time of year. So don't wait until spring when we're all booked up. Contact us now at KellerLandscapeDeign@gmail.com and set up a consultation and estimate today!

Dude, are you a deadhead?

2005-09-02T11:05:00.000-04:00

While most of the summer flowering season is already behind us, in some cases there's still enough flowers on certain plants to allow for a little "deadheading."

Obviously, deadheading has nothing to do with the Grateful Dead, but we can't help but to be reminded of the band when we hear the term. Deadheading is a form of pruning whereby spent flowers are removed from a plant. If left to their own devices, many flowers will bloom robustly for a short period of time, then set seed, thinking that they're done for the season. Deadheading interrupts this cycle by sort of "foolng" the plant, forcing it to send out another bloom of flowers in order to complete the reproductive cycle. Deadheading is very simmilar in a lot of ways to thinning a fruit tree. Thinning involves picking off some of the tiny green, immature fruits of apples, pears and other fruit trees, mainly because there's simply not enough space for all of the fruits to eventually mature into nice, big, ripe ones.

So why do it? Sounds like a lot of hassle. Well to begin with, deadheading immediately improves a garden's appearance by eliminating spent flowers. It promotes new leaf growth, which aids in overall plant growth. And while the flowers in the following blooms may not be as large or as numerous as the first, deadheading will prevent bending seed heads, broken flower stems and existing leaves to wither. And if you deadhead early in the season, you won't have to go out to do it every day.

Practically any plant will benefit from deadheading. Roses are probably the most obvious beneficiary, but many annuals such as marigolds, geraniums, pansies, and petunias will feel the effects too. Perennials like delphinium, dahlia, hollyhock, lupine, columbine, aster, coreopsis and daisies also benefit from deadheading. But in order to promote new flower and leaf growth, you have to do it right. It's not enough to just take off the spent petals -- snip at the base of the flower stem to prevent seed formation.

So while it may be tough to go through the garden and snip away flowers that are still beautiful or may not have peaked, you're mostly cutting old, spent flowers. And in the long run, you're doing your garden a huge favor.

Making the grade

2005-08-19T11:58:00.000-04:00

A lot of our landscape projects this year have involved correcting the grade around the foundation of a house. While we haven't had a whole lot of rain this summer, the rain storms we've had have produced some torrential downpours that have resulted in pooling water around foundations. So how do you correct this?

Well, grade means everything. Soil should always slope away from the foundation of a house. However, the slope of the grade doesn't need to be as severe as you'd think. Typically, a slope of 1 inch per foot for 6 feet is sufficient enough to keep water away from your foundation and out of your cellar and sump. If you can extend the slope out even further out, that's even better since it will get the water even further away from the house.

Grading, or re-grading, can be either a relatively simple task or a miserable experience depending on several factors. If you have problems with water pooling around your foundation, drop us an email at KellerLandscapeDesign@gmail.com to set up a free consultation.

Vinca 101: Minor or major?

2005-07-29T10:11:00.000-04:00

Home gardeners in New Jersey often have a hard time distinguishing between which Vinca to plant in their yards. It's pretty simple actually.

Vinca major (bigleaf periwinkle) is the flowering species, which unfortunately won't survive the harsh winters of the Northeast. With an occasional mild winter, it may last a couple of years after being planted. After that, it may grow a little in the spring only to shrivel up and die by early July.

Vinca minor (common periwinkle) is an evergreen groundcover that can withstand the climate in New Jersey. However, it requires a moderate to fully shaded area if you want to avoid seeing it scorched every summer. Vinca minor will also produce very small lilac-colored flowers in the early spring.

Unless you're going to plant in a container that'll be kept relatively warm in the winter, we recommend going with vinca minor. It's a great all-around groundcover. We often implement it in troubled shaded areas, such as under large trees, where grass and other plants refuse to grow.

Composting

2005-06-29T13:03:00.000-04:00

Recently, we did a piece on the benefits of landscape recycling. Composting is yet another important aspect of this recycling process, and is an effective way to recycle small branches, leaves and grass clippings from your yard.

Most large landscape supply stores sell composting units and do-it-yourself kits. But with a few hours and some basic tools and materials you can easily build a composting bin. With the right additives (landscape refuse, select kitchen waste and soil), composting becoves an economical means of producing rich humus that can be added back into soil or to woodchips to create mulch. Landscape recycling and composting makes incredible sense considering that leaves, lawn clippings and tree trimmings account for approximately 30% of the material being dumped in landfills today.

Anyone with some extra space on their property can benefit the environment and their landscape by composting. And if done right, a rich compost can be accomplished in just a matter of weeks. Best of all, it's organic...and virtually cost free!

What is "Landscape Recycling?"

2005-06-15T11:53:00.000-04:00

Landscape Recycling is a process by which existing plant and building materials are reused (and in some cases refurbished) in an effort to change and enhance the appearance of a property and, at the same time, help the environment.

The exterior of your home can often be viewed in the same manner as the interior of your home. Outside we have rooms and areas the same way we have rooms and areas inside. And just like the interior of a home, oftentimes you don't have to tear down walls and completely renovate in order to make a change -- sometimes all it takes is a little rearranging of what you already own. Just as your sofa will look totally different in another part of the living room, so too will that Rhododendron look different in another area of your yard.

We at Keller Landscape Design make every effort to convince our clients to recycle things that they want removed. Old, overgrown plantings can be transplanted to a border area or a wooded location on the perimeter of a yard. Dilapidated brick walls or edging can be transformed into walkways with an "aged" appearance. Unwanted saplings can be dug up and moved to an area that needs thickening. Even torn up sod can be used to patch other areas of your lawn.

Furthermore, consider the enviromental aspects: Older trees, shrubs and plants require significantly less water than newly planted younger ones. Digging up an established tree can disturb the root systems of adjacent ones. Discarded bricks, pavers and railroad ties don't just disappear...they fill up our already maxed-out landfills.

So next time you take a look at your yard and think "renovate and remove" consider "recycle and refurbish." Not only can it save you money, it can save the environement.

A simple deer-resistant landscape design

2005-05-09T20:11:00.000-04:00

Here in the Northeast, deer present an ongoing and increasing challenge in the landscape industry. While we adore the beautiful animals, deer can cause significant damage to both newly-planted and existing landscapes alike. There are many remedies to combat the deer problem (sprays, fencing, etc.), but the best solution is to prevent the problem from ever starting in the first place. Select plant material that deer will steer away from and avoid plants that can actually attract them, such as pungent evergreens like arborvitae. Deer are relatively intelligent animals, and over time, they'll learn to shun your property in favor of greener pastures.

Many times we get approached by aggravated clients who want deer out of their yards "by any means necessary." We must learn to share our planet with all living things. It's important to remember that it's because of human actions that we face an over abundance of deer in residential areas today (deforestation, suburban sprawl, etc.). Your best bet is to hire a landscape designer who is sympathetic to the problem and who can distinguish between which plants deer will eat and which ones they'll avoid.

Invasive plant species

2005-04-15T17:28:00.000-04:00

Invasive plant species have been a hot topic in the landscape design industry over the past several years. From Norway Maples to Japanese Knotweed to Olive Trees, everyone has their own nemesis that has overtaken their property. Recently, Suffolk Life did a cover story on the Mile-A-Minute weed (Polygonum perfoliatum), an annual, herbaceous vine that began gaining noteriety on Long Island in 1998.

Spring Is Here -- Rejoice!

2005-03-30T18:51:00.000-05:00

We are Keller Landscape Design -- a fairly new company specializing in small-to-medium scale landscape design and installation projects. Based in Chatham, NJ, we have access to some of the most unique and affordable plant and building materials. Our niche is landscape design for smaller areas such as foundations, courtyards, rooftops, city yards, focal points, etc. But no job is too big or small. All projects receive a site analysis, comprehensive design and accurate estimates. We also do light excavation, tree and shrub removal and flower, perennial and annual plantings.

Owned and operated by a former corporate executive, our professionalism, client care and reliability is second to none. And being the new kid on the block, our labor rates are kept low.

If you're looking to get a head-start on that outdoor retreat you've been dreaming of, email us today at KellerLandscapeDesign@gmail.com to set up an appointment.

Ah...winter in New Jersey!

2004-12-23T14:14:00.000-05:00

From all of us at Keller Landscape Design, we wish you and your's a safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to seeing you all when the snow thaws. Happy digging!

Keller Landscape Design -- A Budding Business

2004-09-30T18:12:00.000-04:00

Welcome!

This will be the future site of Keller Landscape Design. A place to get information on our company and portfolio as well as pictures of our work. Please feel free to post your comments and suggestions.

Keller Landscape Design is a fairly new design/installation company based in Chatham, NJ. We focus on small to medium sized design and installation jobs such as Japanese gardens, focal points, foundation plantings, rooftop landscapes (roofscapes) and specimen plantings. Being the new kid in town, we're more interested in building our portfolio and reputation than building our bank account. Therefore, it's doubtful you'll find better prices in the metro area.

So contact us at KellerLandscapeDeign@gmail.com and set up a consultation and estimate today.

Thanks for visiting our little site!