PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - INAUGURAL NEWSLETTER

Welcome to the first edition of the Rooney Landscape, Inc. Newsletter. Each month you will be exposed to the most popular and relevant landscape and hardscape ideas.  These tips and facts will enable you to protect and maintain your greatest investment - your home. Through the Employee Spotlight section of this newsletter, you will have the chance to meet some of our staff and landscape technicians that are committed to serving you.

Did you know that February is National Bird Feeding Month? The National Bird Feeding Society generated this event in order to spread awareness of how difficult it can be for birds to survive our winters. See our article on ways to provide food, water and shelter, as well as an article by Nancy Clifton, a horticultural writer at the Chicago Botanic Garden, on starting spring plants.

All information will be presented in a concise, practical format for easy reading. I highly encourage you to share this newsletter with your neighbors, friends and colleagues.

If you have any questions or comments pertaining to the newsletter's content, please call or email me directly at drooney@rooneylandscape.com  or 847-577-0246.

Here's to Spring Around the Corner!!

Sincerely, 

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW...

Water evergreens in February/March:  Don't forget to water evergreens during the February and March warm ups. Although it is at a slower rate, evergreens continue to draw moisture.  Since the ground is frozen, its only source is moisture already present in the root system, located in the top three to four inches of soil. Lack of water will cause needles and leaves to yellow and drop off when evergreens break dormancy in the spring.  Also consider contracting for applications of an anti-desiccant as a preventative measure against moisture loss next fall.

Caring for wild birds has come a long way in the past 40 years. Tossing out bread crumbs and maybe some cracked corn onto the snow covered ground. Maybe a simple feeder or two. That was good enough for most of us. Today we have a plethora of feeders and gadgets to choose from and we are creating backyard habitats.

40 years ago, as an 11 year old boy I was grinding Indian corn with my mom's hand crank meat grinder. I placed the cracked corn on a crude platform feeder I had made from a piece of plywood and some old floor molding. Feeding birds seemed to be a winter only thing. Now I care for birds year round. I have several feeders, squirrel baffles, water sources and my own little backyard habitat.

Much of the credit goes to the father of modern day ornithology, the late Roger Tory Peterson. Peterson brought birding to the fore front with his life long studies, his books and art work. Today, others like Donald and Lillian Stokes and George Harrison continue to bring us the joys and education on wild birds.

Basics:

There are four basics to attracting birds to your yard: a food source, fresh water, protection and a place to build a nest.

1. Food sources can be as simple as a feeder or two. Black oil sunflower seed will attract the greatest variety of desirable birds to your yard.

2. Fresh water will attract some birds quicker then a feeder might. A birdbath, old pie pan or saucer to a flower pot will work.

3. Protection is a necessity if you want birds to feed and bathe in your yard. Birds need to feel safe from predators. It is important to place food and water in the open, yet close to trees and shrubs for that quick get away when needed.

4. Nesting sites can be a simple nest box properly located, to several trees and shrubs birds find to their liking.

Beyond:

1. Feeders are now designed for specific birds and to keep squirrels and larger birds at bay. There are finch feeders, woodpecker feeders, nectar feeders and suet feeders. Feeders can be tubes, platforms or hoppers. Feed is custom blended to help attract certain species of birds in your area. Plant native flowers, shrubs and trees that offer seed, nuts, berries nectar.

2. Fresh water is important, especially in the winter months when open water is hard to find. There are heaters and heated birdbaths; eating snow is not a good option as it lowers the bird's body temperature wasting needed energy. Moving water attracts birds quicker and might surprise you with a rare sight of a migratory bird that may not have stopped otherwise. Consider a dripper, mister, or a bird creek for birds to drink and bathe in.

3. Help protect you feathered friends by placing food and water sources 10 to 20 feet from shrubs and trees. Make sure there is no undergrowth for cats to hide. Birds need to bathe and preen. A wet bird is a slow bird. A tree branch to hop on or shrub to hide in is the safety they need.

4. Build a backyard habitat. Offer nesting sites and materials by adding shrubs, small trees, flowers and grasses to your yard. Be sure to have a combination of evergreens and deciduous plantings. Provide nest boxes with proper dimensions and locations for the birds you want to attract that live in your area. Keep an eye on squatters like European starlings and English house sparrows.

Now is the time to start seeds indoors for spring plants

BY NANCY CLIFTON
Chicago Botanic Garden
 

February in the garden means that spring is almost here, but not yet. Indoors, you may be working hard to keep houseplants healthy and starting garden seeds for spring planting. This may be the last quiet month before the majority of garden tasks move outdoors again.

Enjoy the longer days and the opportunity to shop from catalogs and online, because before you know it, spring will arrive.

Here's what you need to do in the garden this month:

Trees and shrubs

·         Winter pruning can continue until buds break.

·          Plants plagued with scale may benefit from a dormant oil spray. Always identify insect pest before applying potential spray controls. Timing and the correct control measures are essential if they are to be effective. Many pests have natural enemies that keep populations low and help avoid the need for chemicals. Dormant oil sprays have a low toxicity with little environmental impact. They need to be applied when temperatures are above freezing for at least 24 hours, when no rain is forecast and before leaf buds open. The oil coats the scale's protective covering, essentially smothering the pest.

·          Force tree and shrub branches into bloom. Cut 12- to 18- inch stems of forsythia, star magnolias, viburnums, serviceberry, flowering quince, crab apples and apples, redbud and dogwoods and bring indoors. Do not crush stems; simply make a long cut on an angle to create a wider surface for water uptake. Place in water and keep stems out of direct sunlight in a cool 65-degree location. Change water frequently, and after a few weeks you should see the flower buds swell and open.

Flowers, vegetables

·          Starting your own plants from seeds and transplanting the small plants to the garden versus directly sowing seeds in the garden has a few advantages. Using transplants gives the garden an early start, which is helpful for plants with longer growing seasons. Seeds also offer a greater variety of hard-to-find cultivars. Some plants are best started as transplants instead of directly sown, such as tomatoes and peppers. Seeds are less expensive than transplants and can be saved for future use.

·          Start seeds indoors for spring plants now. Use artificial lights to increase the amount of light seedlings receive. Keep lights close to prevent seedlings from stretching toward the light, producing leggy, weak growth. Rotate to evenly distribute the light. Once seedlings have produced a set or two of true leaves, thin and replant to separate pots. Directly sow seeds in individual pots to skip this step. Sow two or three seeds in one pot using a soil less mix. Thin to one strong seedling.

Indoor flowers

·          Orchids require high humidity. Use pebble trays, mist frequently or use a small humidifier.

·          Fresh-cut flowers are a great gift. To extend their life, use a floral preservative and give flowers a fresh cut every few days.

·          If rose buds droop, try cutting the stem while holding it under water. This prevents air from entering the stem. The rose should revive.

·          Avoid placing fresh flowers in direct sunlight or near heat sources.

·          Flowers that exude a milky sap such as anemone or poppy need to have the cut end sealed to prevent moisture loss. Use a lighter or, while protecting flower heads, dip stem ends into boiling water for a few seconds. Do not make a fresh cut.

·          Flowers that have a sticky or slimy sap when cut, like daffodils, are best cut and allowed to condition in a separate container of water before adding to other flowers in a vase. Do not re-cut stems. Their sap can clog the stems of other cut flowers.

·          Add interest to a clear vase of flowers by adding fruit to the water. Slices or whole fruits will hide flower stems and add color. Try lemons in a vase with forsythias branches and daffodils. Add cranberries to a vase of red roses or carnations. Add kumquats to a container of orange gerbera daisies or astroelmeria. Change vase water daily when plant material is immersed.

·          Another trendy look for cut flowers is to use tall vases having part of the stem and flowers half immersed in the water. Long orchid sprays and gladiolas look tropical and fresh displayed this way.

 (Dave) Rooney throttled back, taking a full-time job with a high-end commercial landscape contractor and kept his own business going on the weekends.  While there, he met Bill Parker, who took Rooney under his wing, teaching him, among other things, to "embrace the Hispanic culture," a lesson (Dave) Rooney credits with his ability to develop relationships with some talented workers.

 In 1987, (Dave) Rooney decided to go after some large commercial accounts.  Within a short time, 80 percent of his business was commercial maintenance...A year later, he learned an important lesson when a new owner took over his largest account, bringing in a new property manager and ousting Rooney Landscape.  Rooney regrouped and... changing his focus to residential landscape design and construction, he began building his business again.  He soon learned that operating on your home turf can be an advantage.  (Dave) Rooney grew up in the area and many of his customers and potential customers knew his family. 

 Intent on giving back to the community, he donates goods and services to two major charities: WINGS, which provides temporary housing for battered women, and PHD, a resource that, among other things, operates food pantries.  (Dave) Rooney also advertises in church bulletins, provides landscape maintenance for many area religious organizations, and donates to area fund-raising events.

 Along the way, (Dave) Rooney has learned a lot about running his business, and prides himself on the way he has organized it, creating specialty crews in each area. "Every crew runs like its own little company," he says.  "It gives all of the employees a sense of ownership."