The leaves have yet to fall in Calgary, which is very nice for all of us. But rest assured, they will start coming down, and cause the big yearly mess we all have to deal with.
A thorough fall clean-up is very important for getting your commercial or residential property started off right come spring. And the best part is, you can have us at Mirage Landscaping do it for you. Contact us and provide the details of what you are looking for and we’ll get you set up with a time. And don’t forget your other fall projects, too! Fall is a great time to tackle large landscaping projects such as underground irrigation installation and landscape design. With three generations of experience under our belts, we are able to perform just about any outdoor project to help beautify your residential or commercial property.
Fall Clean-Up Raking and Leaf Removal
Obviously, the largest task of any fall clean-up is the removal of fallen leaves. We won’t schedule your fall clean-up too early, so you have to watch with frustration as your yard fills up with debris again after we leave. We will also not schedule your fall clean-up so late that there’s an unsightly mix of dirty snow and leaves that is difficult to tidy up properly.
Raking and leaf removal is not only about keeping your yard neat and clean. Fallen leaves are covered with bugs and disease, and leaf piles are the perfect breeding ground for pests. Once the weather starts to warm up again, these little annoyances will become a large problem, as they will leave their comfy nest and take up residence on your most well-loved shrubs, trees, and perennials.
In addition, a good raking also helps get rid of thatch that is more than likely to have accumulated over the summer. Even if your grass clippings were bagged and composted, it is impossible to avoid having a few clippings drop during the mowing process. Some thatch is good, as it helps protect the roots of your grass, but too much is bad, as it will choke out your blades, leaving dead spots, and it will also prevent moisture from reaching the ground and soaking in. Heavy thatch is also where snow mould starts, which can destroy yards and even cause health problems when the weather warms up.
Fall Fertilizing
As part of our regular landscape maintenance packages, we will fertilize your lawn in the spring and again in August. This late summer fertilizing is imperative for promoting the regrowth of grass that has been damaged by mowing, foot traffic, pets, and weed control.
You may have noticed that during the hot, dry heat of a usual August, without frequent watering lawns will go brown fast. This is because grass goes through an early period of dormancy when the weather is warm and there is little moisture. Root growth stops and the tops of grass blades turn brown. When we fertilize in August, the nutrients are used up to grow new shoots and strengthen the root system.
When the weather starts to cool down a bit, the dormancy period will end and root growth will begin again due to the cooler temperatures and increase in moisture from rain. A fall fertilization allows for nutrients to be stored in plant tissue for later use, meaning as soon as it starts to get warm again your grass has the nutrients it needs to get going with vigorous growth.
Mulching
A fall clean-up doesn’t mean just picking up. Sometimes it can mean putting things down. Mulch is your garden’s warm winter coat. Applying mulch before winter is a wise move. No one knows what the Calgary weather will bring. It could be relatively warm with a few Chinooks, or we could easily be plunged into a long and hard freeze with plenty of snow. Either way, mulch is your yard’s defense against extreme weather. Mulch stabilizes temperatures in the soil by becoming a direct layer of insulation for your plants. In the winter, mulch helps to protect roots from frost damage and heaving caused by the freeze/thaw cycles we routinely see in the region. Come early thaws or the fullness of spring, mulch will continue to stabilize the soil temperature when the days are warming and the nights are still chilly. In addition, when mulch breaks down it provides valuable nutrients to the underlying soil.
Fall Underground Irrigation Blow Out
If you have underground sprinklers, as part of your fall clean-up we can perform your irrigation’s fall blow out as well. We use an air compressor to remove every last drop of water from your pipes to eliminate the chance of it freezing, expanding, and cracking a pipe during the winter. These cracks will turn into a large underground leak in the spring when you start your sprinklers up again, which is costly and difficult to repair.
Mirage Landscaping Serves Southeast Calgary for Snow Removal
Come winter Mirage Landscaping in Calgary works through the “off season”, performing snow removal servicesfor our commercial and residential clients to keep your business’s property snow and ice-free.
We have experience to take on just about any project imaginable. Have a look at our portfolio and contact us for a free quoteon any outdoor project.