Because Leyland Cyprus trees are coniferous and not deciduous, they are resilient to most diseases and insect infestations that are devastating to other trees. However, because they are coniferous and not deciduous, some of the insects they do attract are among the most harmful when it comes to a tree’s health.

Leyland Cyprus trees still have a few environmental enemies that are capable of severely damaging, if not altogether killing the tree, including bagworms and spider mites. One of the ways to prevent these infestations, as well as the damage that occurs along with the presence of these tree pests, is to engage in helpful tree care practices. As with all plants, Indiana landscaping experts insist that correct pruning procedures must be engaged in order to keep the tree healthy. According to Indiana landscapers, if proper techniques are not followed, the tree can become severely and irreparably injured.

Landscaping specialists say Leyland Cyprus trees will greatly benefit from bi-annual shearing. Over-shearing, which means shearing more than twice a year, can actually weaken the tree and leave it vulnerable to fungal infections. Landscapers recommend spaying the Leyland Cyprus with fungicide immediately after it has been sheared. In addition to fungal infections, the Leyland Cyprus usually only suffers from four other diseases: Seiridium cankers, Botryospaeria, Cereosporidium and Phytopht, also known as root rot. The good news is that with the right preventative care, the Leyland Cyprus may remain unaffected by these diseases.

To find out more about proper Indiana landscaping techniques for the Leyland Cyprus, call your local Indiana landscaper and schedule a consultation.

Winter pruning allows Indiana landscaping experts to fully assess the health and structural integrity of the tree without the interference of foliage. It is important to have this process scheduled early in the winter in order to give Indiana landscaping specialists time to accurately diagnose any problems and devise solutions to keep your Indiana landscape looking beautiful.

Winter is the ideal time for pruning because the limbs can be fully assessed without the weight of foliage on them. Pruning is generally known to encourage growth, so when it occurs during the growing season, new tissue and bark are constantly being added to the branches. When the foliage is no longer on the tree, proper pruning can take place to establish how much dead or decaying material is on the tree.

Pruning during the growing season is encouraged, but can disrupt the tree’s energy. Landscaping authorities say that since leaves are the primary food source for trees, the pruning that goes on during the summer actually decreases the amount of energy the tree is getting. Obviously the tree is capable of getting through the winter on reserved energy sources, so pruning does not have as much of an impact.

Another reason why winter pruning is ideal and beneficial is because the tree is completely dormant, including disease and insect activity. Pruning sometimes makes trees vulnerable to insect infestations and diseases, especially if the pruning techniques aren’t performed correctly and the tree is wounded. If perchance the tree is wounded during winter pruning, it will be able to seal before or during the early spring before insects and diseases become active once again.

For more information on winter pruning, contact your local Indiana landscaping company and schedule a consultation!

Bagworms are often the bane of any homeowner’s existence. These stubborn insects can take a perfectly healthy and beautiful Indiana landscape and destroy it in a matter of months. Their incessant feeding depletes trees and shrubs of the nutrients necessary to keep them alive and thriving, thus killing the plants if there is no intervention.

The presence of bagworms is usually not diagnosed until early June, at which time the introduction of pest control applications is usually effective. The key is to eliminate them before they begin to reproduce, which they do at a rapid rate. If nothing is done about their presence in your trees until mid- to late summer, Indiana landscaping experts say saving your trees might be much more difficult, if not impossible. As time passes, the “bag” becomes thicker, making it more resilient against insecticides.

The primary method used by many Indiana landscaping specialists is removing the bags from the trees and burning them. In addition to this process, professional-grade insecticides are applied to stop reproduction and ward off future infestations.

If you have had problems in the past with bagworms and can’t afford to lose more trees to these destructive critters, contact your local Indiana landscaping professionals and ask them for their help in reducing these populations before it is too late.

Superior Indiana landscaping involves many steps, but perhaps none is as important as proper hydration. After all, a landscape cannot succeed without water. Adequately hydrating your landscape is not an exact science, but it is close. The best plan is to install a sprinkler system that ensures your landscape is watered every day at the same time. Sprinkler systems with a timer are even more ideal, but you still have several options there. Landscaping specialists highly recommend pulsating sprinklers for the best results.

Pulsating sprinkler systems spray water into the air and allow the water to fall back down to the ground in a fine mist. There are five different types of pulsating sprinklers: impulse, traveling, stationary, oscillating and rotary. Impulse sprinklers are the top choice of Indiana landscaping professionals because they cover larger areas.

It is important to know if you have high or low water pressure, as that also factors in to which type of pulsating sprinkler you choose for your Indiana landscaping needs. If you have low water pressure, an H-base is a better choice than a spike-based sprinkler which is better suited for high pressure.

Pulsating sprinklers have the benefit of being designed with gusty winds in mind, as well as low-hanging trees or tall shrubs. The height of the water spray can be adjusted accordingly and since the water is typically sprayed close to the ground, its spray is unaffected by the wind.

If you think a pulsating sprinkler may be beneficial to your lawn, contact your local Indiana landscaping company. Many Indiana landscaping companies also install Indiana irrigation systems, especially since proper hydration makes their job that much easier!

By Diane Poulton BusINess contributor | Posted: Sunday, September 18, 2011 12:00 am |

Tony V. Martin/The Times Dean Ricci Ricci’s- Landscape Management, Inc. For your information Name: Dean Ricci Jr. Age: 39 Title: Owner Business name: Ricci’s Landscape Management Inc. Business address: 502 Norbed Drive, Hebron Business Phone: (800) 595–4339 Website: www.rlminc.com

Dean Ricci Jr. started mowing lawns in Lakes of the Four Seasons when he was 10. Several decades later, he has grown from a little boy pulling a lawn mower behind his bike to the owner of a multimillion dollar landscaping management company. A highly successful entrepreneur, Ricci believes in giving back to the community he serves through education, by providing internships, coaching and sponsoring youth sports programs. His success, leadership and community commitment have earned Ricci the honor of being included in the Times of Northwest Indiana and BusINess magazine’s 2011 20 under 40 award winners. Ricci, owner of Ricci’s Landscape Management, volunteers as field director for the Lakes of the Four Seasons Little League, keeping the grounds in excellent shape for the participants and their families. He has donated time as assistant coach for Pop Warner Football for three years and this year will be assistant coach for a Crown Point Junior Bulldog team. Ricci also helped coach the Crown Point Junior Bulldog wrestling team for three years. Ricci finds coaching youth football most satisfying. He has sponsored numerous youth sports teams. On three occasions, Ricci has assisted Eagle Scouts with landscaping projects for their final badges. Ricci aided with demolition, planning and drainage work for these projects at two churches and an elementary school. Ricci’s wife Jamie nominated her husband for the award. “I am very proud of what he has done as a business owner, what he has done to develop himself, his business, his employees,” Jamie said. “He typifies to me what the award is about.” Jamie says her husband has worked hard to better himself. She says he is an accredited master horticulturist, serves on many boards, has spoken at trade shows and teaches seminars at Valparaiso’s Taltree Arboretum.

Ricci’s Taltree classes focus on landscape construction, drainage and Japanese stone setting. At Taltree, Ricci’s company was responsible for most of the work on the Hitz Family Memorial Rose Garden and worked on the native prairie garden and outdoor education trail.

“Not only does Dean seek to better educate himself but he also encourages the growth of his employees offering off season training courses and incentives for certifications and not smoking,” Jamie says.

Founded in 1994, Ricci’s Landscape Management Inc. in Hebron provides landscape design and construction, lawn care and maintenance, tree service, irrigation installation and service, snow plowing and removal, outdoor lighting, and mosquito misting systems. The company, an authorized Uni Lock installer, employs 30 people and has 14 trucks, nine of which serve double duty as snow plows.

Ricci enjoys the work and being outdoors. Focusing on his job during high school, Ricci describes himself as a “varsity grass cutter.”

“I lettered in it every year,” Ricci says.

Ricci offers a college internship program in landscape architecture and pays for schooling for his employees to complete backflow certification for irrigation technicians.

Ricci graduated from Indiana University Northwest in 1994 with a degree in Business Management. He received the Albert and Margaret Gallagher Scholarship designated for “an outstanding student with interest in entrepreneurship and small business.” Ricci joined the Northwest Indiana Entrepreneur Academy, the Northwest Indiana Nurserymen and Landscape Association, and the Indiana Nurserymen and Landscape Association. Ricci is past president and board member of the NWI Nurserymen’s Association.

A Master Indiana Accredited Horticulturist, Ricci serves as a judge for the National Certified Landscape Technician test. Ricci has been recognized as a leader in his industry by Pro Magazine

Ricci says he has been encouraged along the path to success by several people.

“My wife has been very supportive,” Ricci says. “Without her, I would never been able to accomplish what I have done. She has been there for me emotionally and financially.”

Ricci said Dan Kukulski recruited him to coach football and help with the Lakes of the Four Seasons baseball field.

“He was born to coach and it is his passion,” Ricci said. “He is the one who inspired me.”

Also, Ricci says his dad, Dean Ricci Sr., worked side by side with him from 1997 to 2005.

“The company didn’t do well the first few years,” Ricci said. “He was supportive and encouraging.”

Ricci also considers Joe Allegretti, a client whom he calls “Uncle Joe,” a mentor.

“I have lunch with him once a month,” Ricci says. “He is a mentor; he is very good sounding board for me.”

The two men belong to Proof Management, which is a business group from which they receive both individual and group advice. Ricci says Allegretti is also an inspiration because of his philanthropic work.

Most satisfying for Ricci is seeing his business grow, meeting with clients, using his creative talents and seeing the results of a completed project.

Ricci says he also enjoys seeing his employees grow within the company. One, who has been with him for 15 years, Ricci says, could at first barely work a wheelbarrow, but now runs the landscape division schedule and product management.

In his spare time, Ricci is a member of Cross Fit Crown Point, competitively ballroom dances with his wife and enjoys hunting and fishing.

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As we get out our heavier sweaters and winter coats to protect ourselves from the cold, it’s also time to think about our trees, shrubs and plants.  Just like many of us don’t like a dip in temperatures and unpredictable temperature swings, neither do most plants.  But there are some things you can do to help make sure your precious ornamentals will survive what Mother Nature has to dish out this winter.

One of the biggest problems is that trees and shrubs lose a lot of moisture during the winter and tend to dry out.  To help prevent that from happening, it’s important to continue to water all your trees and plants throughout the entire fall, as long as possible.  Mulch is also important.  It’s recommended that a layer of mulch two-to-four inches thick is placed around the base of your Indiana landscape plants and trees to help them retain moisture.  Anti-desiccant sprays can also help.  They leave a waxy coating on evergreen needles preventing moisture loss.  You can also wrap your trees in canvas or burlap.  That will help them retain moisture during windy days and help prevent breakage from heavy Indiana snow.

Fertilization is also a key to keeping your trees and shrubs healthy, but you have to make sure you do it at the right time.  You must fertilize after they’ve gone dormant so the nutrients can help the plants overwinter and recover in the spring.  If they’re not dormant, the fertilizer may spur growth making the plant vulnerable to damage.  Now is also the time to protect against hungry critters.  Place a metal guard or liquid repellent around the base of trees and shrubs to keep small animals from eating them for dinner when the food supply diminishes.  It’s also a good time to put up windbreakers and tie branches together with twine or netting to prevent breakage from the weight of Indiana snow.

Also beware of salt or ice-melting products.  Just like they’re hazardous for animals, they’re also hazardous for your plants and trees.  Use sand instead and make sure you protect your ornamentals from salt thrown by road crews, with plastic sheeting.  And when the white stuff sticks, be sure to remove all accumulating Indiana snow on your Indiana landscape plants and trees with a broom so they’re not damaged.

As we get out our heavier sweaters and winter coats to protect ourselves from the cold, it’s also time to think about our trees, shrubs and plants.  Just like many of us don’t like a dip in temperatures and unpredictable temperature swings, neither do most plants.  But there are some things you can do to help make sure your precious ornamentals will survive what mother nature has to dish out this winter.

One of the biggest problems is that trees and shrubs lose a lot of moisture during the winter and tend to dry out.  To help prevent that from happening, it’s important to continue to water all your trees and plants throughout the entire fall, as long as possible.  Mulch is also important.  It’s recommended that a layer of mulch two-to-four inches thick is placed around the base of your Indiana landscape plants and trees to help them retain moisture.  Anti-desiccant sprays can also help.  They leave a waxy coating on evergreen needles preventing moisture loss.  You can also wrap your trees in canvas or burlap.  That will help them retain moisture during windy days and help prevent breakage from heavy Indiana snow.

Fertilization is also a key to keeping your trees and shrubs healthy, but you have to make sure you do it at the right time.  You must fertilize after they’ve gone dormant so the nutrients can help the plants overwinter and recover in the spring.  If they’re not dormant, the fertilizer may spur growth making the plant vulnerable to damage.  Now is also the time to protect against hungry critters.  Place a metal guard or liquid repellent around the base of trees and shrubs to keep small animals from eating them for dinner when the food supply diminishes.  It’s also a good time to put up windbreakers and tie branches together with twine or netting to prevent breakage from the weight of Indiana snow.

Also beware of salt or ice-melting products.  Just like they’re hazardous for animals, they’re also hazardous for your plants and trees.  Use sand instead and make sure you protect your ornamentals from salt thrown by road crews, with plastic sheeting.  And when the white stuff sticks, be sure to remove all accumulating Indiana snow on your Indiana landscape plants and trees with a broom so they’re not damaged.

You have been noticing that the plants in your Indiana landscape are not growing as fast as they should or perhaps they just do not appear as vibrant as they used to look. You may want to call your landscaping company and ask them to perform a soil analysis. There could be several explanations as to why your Indiana landscape isn’t thriving, but one reason may be that the pH level of your soil is not where it should be. If that is the case, your landscaping specialist will more than likely suggest lime applications to correct the acidity level. However, wood ashes are an alternative to lime applications that with continual use can have the same level of effectiveness as lime.

The reason wood ashes are used to correct the pH level of soil is because the ashes contain small quantities of boron, potassium, phosphate and other elements pertinent to increasing the soil’s pH level. If you do decide to use wood ashes, you need to be vigilant about using them often and having your soil’s acidity tested annually. Wood ashes are particularly effective in sandy soils. Landscaping experts recommend spreading a thin layer of the ashes over the soil in the winter, then mixing the ashes in with the soil again in the spring. Be aware of what other plants the ashes come into contact with, as they can cause damage to plant roots or seedlings that are in a state of germination.

If you aren’t sure about how much to use or how to correctly apply the wood ashes, call your landscaping professional.

If you’ve ever used Indiana mulch, you know it can be a bit annoying when pieces of it fall out of the Indiana landscaping beds or children decide to spread bits of it all over the yard and driveway. However, despite the irritating aspects of Indiana mulch, it actually has benefits that can be vital to your Indiana landscape.

Mulch, in addition to adding a decorative flair to your Indiana landscape, also promotes soil moisture. By acting as a shield between the hot sun and the soil underneath, your dirt can retain more moisture and nutrients, which help plants grow bigger and better.

Another reason Indiana mulch is a much-needed addition to your Indiana landscaping is because it discourages weed growth. Mulch will help prevent weed growth by shading the soil and keeping it cool, discouraging weed germination.

Mulch is also helpful in preventing soil erosion. Your plants rely on the sturdy earth to keep them in place. Roots needs to be covered with nutrient-rich soil on which to feed, which can all be washed away during a forceful downpour. Mulch will help keep the soil in place, thus keeping your plants safe.

To learn more about how Indiana mulch can benefit your Indiana landscaping, call your local Indiana landscaping company.

When your landscape needs fertilized, the best solution is to contact your local landscaping company and have the professionals attend to the task. However, if you’re one of those do-it-yourselfers, then there is some research to be done on the subject. Not all fertilizers are the same, so you should decide which fertilizer is right for your landscape, how much should be applied, when it should be applied, as well as what to do to ensure the application is successful. If you’re using granule fertilizer, you will want to look into purchasing a spreader to disseminate the fertilizer evenly.

There are generally two types of spreaders: drop spreaders and broadcast spreaders. Broadcast spreaders are particularly advantageous for those who have a large area of landscape to cover. However, if the area you’re fertilizing is small, a drop spreader might be more ideal.

Whereas broadcast spreaders fling the fertilizer in every direction, drop spreaders are more focused, releasing the fertilizer directly underneath the device through the hopper. This means you have to decide what area you want to focus on and make certain you have covered that area thoroughly, or else you could have some plants growing wildly while others are barely past the seedling stage. Another downfall to using a drop spreader is the risk of over-fertilizing your landscape. Applying fertilizer is a very delicate balance and if you apply too much fertilizer, you run the risk of frying your plants.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle or you’re not particularly good at staying within the lines, your best option is to contact your local professional landscaping company and leave the fertilizing to them. After all, your landscape’s beauty and perfection should melt your stress away, not add to it!