Tag Archives: irrigation

Unexpected Beauty: Managing Your Property’s Premature Awakening With Confidence

Spring has an elegant way of ushering in a season of renewal and awakening, often bursting with color and the sounds of new life.

A tale as old as time and as true as it ever was: “The early bird catches the worm.” However, this year, Mother Nature seems to have added a little pep to her step.

Perhaps lately you’ve found yourself saying, “Wow, my property is unseasonably colorful.”

Or maybe even “Look at how many trees and flowers have already bloomed, it’s like looking at a Bob Ross painting!”

As we take a moment and marvel at the beauty unfolding around us, the different scents and flavors dancing in the breeze, ILT Vignocchi wants to remind our fellow community members to be aware of the implications of “premature blossoming.” 

The early warm-up followed by the late frosts ahead poses unique challenges for property owners, so let’s dive in!

THE FASHIONABLY “LATE FROST”

A unique obstacle, commonly known as a “late frost,” occurs when temperatures drop below freezing after the growing season has already begun. This phenomenon happens during the transitional period, when plants start to emerge from dormancy and new growth has begun. “Late frosts” cause ground temperatures to plummet when cold air masses settle into the area as the heat radiates away from the ground. 

 

EARLY BULB VULNERABILITY

Rest assured that early-blooming bulbs are more robust than they appear. Tulips, daffodils, and other spring blooms are hardier than we give them credit for. Despite the threat of frost, these resilient plants are unlikely to suffer permanent damage. However, a layer of mulch or covering can provide added protection during sudden cold snaps, ensuring your foliage remains intact.

 

BROWNING TIPS, IS IT DYING?

While we’re on the topic of hardiness, frost may cause a slight browning of foliage tips, but it’s nothing to fret over. This natural process, known as “frost damage,” is temporary and poses no significant harm to the plants. So, if you wake up to a frost-covered garden, take a deep breath and trust in nature’s resilience.

 

SOME PLANTS WEAR ARMOR

The dance between winter and spring is epitomized by the magnolia tree. Its fuzzy flower bud covering acts as a protective shield, guarding the delicate petals. However, once this “blanket” falls away, the flowers on the magnolia tree become vulnerable to sudden changes in temperature. While some petals may be lost to a late frost, the magnolia as a whole endures.

 

COMPETITION IS THICK

Early warming temperatures can accelerate weed growth, competing with desirable plants for nutrients and space. Implementing weed control measures can suppress weed growth and preserve the aesthetic appeal of your property.

 

NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES

Early-blooming plants may exhibit signs of nutrient deficiencies due to imbalanced soil conditions or inadequate fertilization. This occurs because of the constant change in rapid heating and cooling of soil temperatures, which causes water to expand and contract. A targeted fertilization program can correct nutrient deficiencies and promote healthy plant growth.

 

While the early bloom may present challenges, we hope you feel assured about what lies ahead. 

If you are a current landscaping maintenance client, you already know that your team here at ILT Vignocchi is staying on top of this and will be implementing the measures necessary to safeguard your property.

And as you navigate the ebbs and flows of Mother Nature, remember that ILT Vignocchi is here to help guide and support you every step of the way. Our expertise in landscaping design, build, and maintenance ensures that your outdoor spaces remain vibrant and aesthetic year-round. 

You can embrace the early bloom and trust in the beauty of nature’s timing, knowing ILT Vignocchi is just a call away.

If you’re ready to uplevel your outdoor space or hand off the maintenance to a trusted industry expert, call us at 847.487.5200 (ext: 2220) for a consultation, or send a message our way to get started!

Itasca Retreat

ILCA 2020 Gold Award Winter: Entertainment Retreat

Mature trees, water issues and outdated landscaping, were the issues that started this project. Our master planning took several different directions which started with us confronting a front yard that had no structure, extremely small entertainment spaces, and standing water around the entire 2.5 acre property that were causing issue around, and inside, the house.

Design work started by solving the water issues while keeping in mind the hundreds of mature oaks, hickories and maples on the property.  We worked closely with our civil engineer to come up with a plan of various rain gardens, berms, drain inlets and discharge piping, which in some cases were 18” in diameter, to move water across the property. Extreme care was taken to protect the trees which included such measures as protection fencing, heavy construction mulching, root pruning, air spading directional boring, hand digging, when needed, and other means to insure that trees would not be harmed.  Directing, moving, and storing water across 2.5 acres while avoiding mature trees took the understanding of the entire team about the sensitivity of the work they were performing.

In tangent with the drainage the hardscape plans took shape. The rear yard entertainment spaces had to allow not only for smaller gatherings, but also had to be substantial enough to host large parties. The views to the sprawling rear yard could also not be obstructed. Multiple rooms were created which were outlined by a continuous stone bench. The bench, opposed to a solid wall, allowed an open feel around the patios while still providing plenty of overflow seating. A custom stone fireplace was requested that needed to be, in the words of the customer “Unique, different and charming” No less than fifty variants of this fireplace were drawn.

Construction of the rear yard patios were difficult due to the tight spaces to get machinery and supplies into the rear yard, again, tree care was of the upmost concern. Precision was given to the seamless detailing between the concrete patios with the stone inlays. This went as far as planning the location and positioned of all of the control joints. This was all made possible by working side by side with our concrete sub to help insure the patios turned out as envisioned.

The front yard had to take on the same mantra, small feel but large spaces. A horseshoe driveway was installed along with a stone accent wall to provide a courtyard feel. In several cases this wall was only several feet away from mature hickory trees. Metal grade beams along with strategically placed concrete support foundations were used throughout to help insure the safety of the trees. Granite curbing, paver inlays and refreshed plantings finished the look.

With the water issues solved, woodland plantings finally were able to thrive. Care was given to smoothly transition between the ornamental and rain garden plantings to prevent any visual gaps.  The last touch, a putting green that the homeowner had been dreaming about for years.

The patio spaces are split into four distinct rooms. Each one having its own size, charm and intended use. The largest space, and the heart of the patios, is the dinning and fireplace patio. During this process various conceived additions to the house were executed by a long term subcontractor that we have always been able to work with flawlessly.

The quaint sunning patio was intended to be a place to take in the sun and relax.  Smaller in size than the main patio this patio can easily be cozy enough for two or also become overflow space during larger parties. The entire team worked tirelessly to insure that the concrete borders would work flawlessly with the intended natural bluestone inlays.

 

Morning Coffee is perfect in the breakfast nook. Intended for the two clients to spend time together without the feel of floating within a much larger space. The pergola and the climbing vines gives the space a very intimate feel and also allows a gracious transition from the house to the main patio space during larger gatherings.

The firepit and BBQ patio was the answer to the issue of how to address the “drop in” of one of the neighbors. Dinner for two or drinks for four is its intended use. Although difficult, given the age of the house, care was taken to insure the BBQ stone, as with all the vertical stone elements, matched the existing house stone impeccably.

The fireplace was a “must have” on the wish list from the client. Hard lines, from the angular stone, had to be broken up and softened by round boulders to provide the required look. The specific boulders that were used were carefully chosen, at the quarry, to provide the exact scale, shape and color needed.

The stone benches not only give a visual separation between the patios and the surrounding plantings, but also provide overflow sitting for parties. A solid seat wall would have given too much visual mass around the edges of the patio where the stone benches offer a much needed open feel.

The new horseshoe driveway provided the needed room for guest parking. Drainage was added to help relieve the issue of pooling water and icing. To provide structure a curved stone wall, granite curbing and paver inlays were added. Those elements are complemented by formal foundation plantings and loose woodland plantings under the mature trees.

Great caution was exhibited to protect the trees during wall construction. To span tree roots, metal beams on concrete post foundations took the place of traditional construction methods. A 12” thick mulch matting “pathway” was used along the wall as the stone was being installed to help insure ground compaction was kept to a minimum.

Many measures were used during construction, especially the drainage portion, to help insure long-term tree health. After construction, tree care continued. Systemic insecticides were used to help with two-lined chestnut borers, fertilizers with humates were applied in the roots zones and plat growth regulators were used to help stimulate new root growth.

Rain gardens were accented with appropriate natives and then were surrounded with more “traditional” plantings. What occurred were these wonderful pockets of colorful, lush plantings that could be seen and enjoyed from almost anywhere around the property.

The putting green was added to the rear part of the property and was positioned close to the refurbished tennis court. As with most elements around the property, several revisions of the shape, layout and positioning of the green were considered before the final layout was approved.

For more on this extensive ILCA award winning renovation, check out the video on our you tube page!

 

North Shore English Garden

ILCA 2020 Gold Award Winner: The English Garden

It is not often a client of many years’ states that it is time to start over.  A needed house addition forced a rethink of a visually stunning mature landscape. However, a silver lining was present. Although the client loved his yard, water issues had plagued it for many years putting stress on the existing plantings. This was the opportunity that was needed to solve the water issue while providing new elements to the yard. Change, in this case, was good.

Irregular bluestone on the old patio was saved for reuse on the new pool deck. It was considered that aged bluestone and new bluestone coping might not visually mesh. To make this work we meticulously detailed the pool coping giving one side a bullnose finish and the other an irregular edge. This permitted a seamless transition between the pool deck and pool coping.  A 5’ tall privacy wall was added along the property line, which paralleled the pool. For the wall, the house brick was matched as closely as possible, which also included mimicking the weeping mortar joints. Plantings and a water feature were added and accented by small details in the new walls.

A new large formal lawn panel was added which served three roles. First, it became a place to drain and collect the water through the addition of an underground gravel collection system. Second, it helped counterbalance the heavily planted gardens along its perimeter. Lastly, the lawn could become a usable space for a large tent during parties.

Bordering the lawn is an irregular bluestone walkway which is adjacent to raised garden beds. These raised beds help further keep the plantings dry and allow for a spectacular garden to flourish. The perimeter walkway not only allows for strolls through the garden, but also provides a pathway to other elements around the yard.

An elevated sitting patio, opposite the house, was a way to meet the demand by the client for a sitting area to read the morning paper while sitting in the solitude of the garden. A small meandering brook and pond where added to help drown out any exterior noise. This was accented by a bluestone slab bridge which allows a way to get over the brook to a woodland garden walk.

A formal dining and cocktail patio finishes off the opposite side of the lawn panel.  This patio is flanked by an herb garden and a formal planting of hybrid tea roses. These roses are prized plantings of the client and had to be transplanted, cared for off-site in greenhouses, and then replanted so that they would all survive. Similar to all the new gardens, specialty amended soils were used to help insure the roses would thrive.

Mature trees were either present or brought in, at a very full size, to finish the overall look of the garden. These created a gorgeous back drop and also afforded the opportunity to create a woodland garden walk. The perimeter of the property was finished with a custom wood fence that helps keep out deer and other critters that might disrupt the garden. In the end a once lush garden became a better version of itself.

A new pool and spa were added and surrounded with repurposed Irregular bluestone for the pool deck. The far ends of the pool were expanded to allow informal sitting and dinning spaces.

A new brick wall provides privacy and allows a backdrop for a hedge of pear trees. Vines and groundcovers complete the look. The bluestone coping became complimentary to the bluestone decking by taking on irregular shapes of their own.

The once arched windows on the house transformed to doors that lead to a bluestone landing complete with brick pillars and wood pergola which provide a smooth transition from the house to the pool deck.  Formal plantings along with planting containers soften the hardscapes.

A formal lawn panel provides structure and visual relief from the surround plantings. Under the entire lawn is a large gravel ‘cistern’ that collects all the water in the rear yard. Without this solution many of the other plantings would not have been possible.

A bluestone walkway and raised beds run the perimeter of the entire lawn panel. The raised beds help keep the beds dry while providing formality. Hundreds of cubic yards of specialty soil were imported to help insure the perennials, and other plantings, would have the best growing medium possible.

A long stone staircase leads the way into the sitting area of the garden. While a few large trees existed, several very large trees were installed to create a breathtaking backdrop to this patio and the garden.

A brook and pond added to the serene look and feel of the garden. The customer took some time finding the perfect statuary, which lead to us working with them finding the ideal positioning. A stone bridge connects the sitting area to the loose woodland walkway beyond.

It cannot be stressed enough the love of plants the clients have. Months and months of detailing out every single plant and its positioning in the garden still sees constant changes with weekly on-site meetings. These meetings help insure nothing is ever out of place.

Steppers lead the way around a woodland garden under mature and larger trees on the property. The same level of detailing of the plant material was expected, and was given, for this garden. Plants had to be positioned so the walk would bring new interest during every step and turn.

The formal dining and sitting patio extends off the new house addition. A seat wall encloses the space and gives is a subtle separation from the gardens. These walls match the house brick along with the weeping mortar joints. The patio had to be large enough to handle gatherings, but not too large to eat up any garden space.

The hybrid tea rose garden is the most cherished by the client. We worked with suppliers to come up with a soil mix that would be perfectly balanced for these roses. Unbelievable care had to be given to moving, storing and replanting the roses during construction. A new wood gate and lattice fence welcome guests into the rear yard.

It was imperative that the spaces flowed together and were visually connected. This helped bring the garden spaces together into one thematic crescendo.

Check out our stunning video of this project here on our YouTube Page

 

 

 

 

Corporate Woods, Vernon Hills, IL

Benefits of a Spring Clean Up

A spring clean up for the inside of your home can mean different things to different people.  To some it is as light as cleaning off the patio and the grill and to those Martha Stewart enthusiasts it can be so so much more…washing curtains, emptying cabinets and giving them a thorough wash and possibly even power washing the roof.  Everyone’s need are different.

The same can be said for a landscape but there are some things that absolutely need to be accomplished.  First removing any branches, sticks and leaves from the property.  Doing a good fall clean up can help make this an easier task, but it still needs to be done.

You also want to cut back any Hydrangeas, grasses or perennials that were left in tact for winter interest to make room for new growth.

 

 

At this time we also like to cultivate, edge and fertilize the beds with a product that also contains pre-emergent (to help keep down those nasty weeds).  This function can prove difficult in Spring and sometimes needs to be chipped away it because of Spring’s wet conditions.

Next is turf.  It is important to be gentle with turf in Spring, again those wet conditions can make situations worse by tearing it.  That being said we rake wherever possible to pull up dead grass and snow mold, then topdress with a combination of grass seed and peat moss.

Activating your irrigation system is equally important, making any necessary adjustments.  But we tend to turn systems off when turned on in early Spring.  Running them only aggravates already wet conditions, which can encourage turf fungus and other problems.

Once all of that is complete and all your hardsurface areas are cleaned and tidy, your landscape is ready for the season.

Turf Management: Adjusting to Drought

If your property does not have an automated irrigation system and you have not watered your turf regularly this summer, you may have noticed it is turning brown, indicating it is reacting to the impact of the summer drought we are in the midst of here in the northern Chicagoland area.  Your grass has a natural drought defense system which shuts down the expendable parts of the plant in an effort to keep its roots alive, hence the brown coloration at the surface. The good news is, turf grasses are resilient plants and can survive a long time without water. The bad news is, not only does the brown grass not look good, the dormant grass will become more susceptible to invasive weeds and crabgrass which tend to find room to root and grow in the stressed turf.  Generally, though, once moisture returns, most grasses will recover without leaving permanent damage.  The weeds and crabgrass can be treated, and your once beautiful lawn should be restored.

The simplest and best practice that we have found for helping the turf survive and recover from the effects of a drought, if regular watering is not an option, is to make some simple adjustments to our mowing operations.  We raise our mower blades slightly, to 3″ – 3.5″, to minimize the heat/sun exposure of the root systems of the turf that results from mowing too low in these hot, dry conditions.  Additionally, you will find that we will forgo mowing whenever warranted, on a given visit, if the grass has gone dormant and has not grown sufficiently to necessitate a mowing.  This will prevent the potential damage that could be done to the dry, brittle grass blades as the heavy mower wheels roll over them.  The added benefit of not mowing is the extra time we can spend on your property detailing and performing more labor-intensive gardening operations.

Furthermore, the longer grass blades will shade the ground underneath, keeping it cooler and inhibiting water evaporation. The granular fertilizer we apply during your lawn care visits will stimulate new growth once rain returns or the lawn is watered. If you are going to water your lawn, you must be consistent. If you cannot deeply water your lawn one inch or more per week, it is better to let your lawn go into a state of dormancy.  Light, infrequent watering can do more harm than good as it encourages shallow root growth which then makes the turf even more susceptible to disease and insect infestations during periods of stress.  So, it is best to commit to keep up with the watering or let it go and wait out the drought.

When temperatures start to cool down and rainfall increases, your lawn should come out of dormancy and begin to recover. The turf plants will start growing new roots and new plants will germinate to replace those that were damaged or even killed during the summer. Core aeration and over seeding in the fall are two great ways to help your lawn recover from a tough drought season, like the one we are currently experiencing. Strengthening the roots is critical to maintaining healthy turf, and the core aeration process will open the lawn to provide more air, water and nutrients into the turf root zone.  Following up the coring operation immediately with over seeding will help to generate new seedlings to fill in sparse areas. Grass seed needs to come in contact with soil and receive adequate moisture to remain viable once the germination process begins. A good portion of the seed will end up in the core holes, which ends up being a great place for the seed to germinate. The soil in the core holes will remain moist and cool, and the seed will have a much better chance of germinating.

Kevin T Block

Watering guidelines – new and existing turf

Newly Seeded Turf

Seed just planted should be CONSISTENTLY moist until growth begins.  This means a daily light watering for 15 to 30 minutes.  DO NOT OVER WATER AND DO NOT USE A STRONG SPRAY. You don’t want to drown the seeds, nor do you want to wash them away.

Once seedlings have reasonable growth (½” to ¾”), reduce watering to twice weekly and apply ¼” to ½” per watering.  Once mowed, watering can be done as to accumulate 1 to 1 ½” of water once per week.  Again, be certain to take rainfall into consideration.

Please note that seed will not germinate without the execution of these watering guidelines.

 New Sod

Sod should be watered daily.  Its good health and development requires up to 2” to 4” of water per week for the first couple of weeks.  After the first week, start stretching out the time between watering so that the roots will grow downward toward the soil moisture.  When you do water, water deeply.  Keep up the frequent watering until about 20 to 30 days after planting.  Once firmly rooted you may reduce watering to once per week, applying 1” to 1 ½” per application.

Please note that sod will die without the execution of these watering guidelines.

Established Turf

Established turf grass requires infrequent but heavy watering.   Remember you are watering the soil, not the grass.  Generally established turf grass requires 1 inch to 1½ inches of water per week for optimum health.

Watering twice a week may be required during extreme conditions, such as temperatures of 90 degrees or higher for a prolonged period of time or extremely windy days.  Separate the watering to the early part of the week and the later part of the week with a minimum accumulation of 1 inch per watering.

For more information about your turf, check out the National Turfgrass Federation’s website.

Watering Guidelines – new trees and shrubs

During the spring we generally receive a sufficient amount of moisture.  Spring to summer is probably the most critical transitional period because moisture levels can drop quickly and soil moisture availability rapidly declines.  This situation can be exacerbated by overly hot and windy conditions.

When plants start to show signs of stress by wilting permanent damage to the vascular system may have already occurred.  Prevention is the key; therefore we have prepared the following guidelines on the basics of proper watering procedures.

Time of Day to Water

The BEST time to water is about 3 a.m. to 10 a.m.  At this time the air is cool and very little evaporation loss occurs before the water reaches the ground.  When the sun rises and the air warms, the liquid quickly evaporates from the leaves.  Watering early in the evening encourages fungal infection (fungal infections thrive in cool wet conditions); watering in the heat of day is bad because much of the water evaporates before reaching the ground.  This accelerates buildup of soluble minerals in the soil that over along time can be ruinous to soil health.

Accurate Measuring

When you water, water deeply.  This means water for a long time, allowing the water to soak into the ground.  Ideally, you should provide one inch of water with every soaking, but not more than once per week.

Remember to take rainfall into consideration when monitoring your watering. Use a rain gauge to monitor the amount of water your landscape receives from rainfall and your irrigation system (if applicable).

Be careful…you can over water your plants!  Roots need both water and oxygen to thrive.  Over watering can kill plants because constant moisture suffocates the roots, thereby causing them to die and rot.  Inspect the area BEFORE watering by tunneling with a deep root feeder or stake.  If the soil is dry on top, it might still be moist underground and not need water.

Newly Planted Trees

When watering newly planted trees, remove the nozzle from your hose, wrap the hose in an old bath towel  (so it will disperse the energy of the spray) and set the hose at the base of the tree.  Water the area at a low pressure every other day (45 to 60 minutes) for 3 to 4 weeks, based on your soil conditions.  Make certain to change the position of the hose to water evenly.

Newly Planted Shrubs

Shrubs can be watered similarly to trees except the time frame drops to 10 to 15 minutes each.  Avoid watering foliage, most plants DO NOT like being watered from above because moisture build up on leaves encourages fungal problems.

For more information there is a great article by the University of Illinois Extension.