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Don’t Prune the Wrong Plant!

Don't Prune Wrong PlantOnce the first frost hits, your landscape plants, despite all of their spring and summer glory, will fade away leaving bare branches and brown and crumpled foliage behind. Only the evergreens remain. It’s time for fall cleanup and pruning. At Custom Lawn and Landscape, we offer both services.

Tree, Shrub, and Plant Pruning

It is important to remember that pruning plants is a process, not an event. There is no one-day of the year that all plants are to be pruned. Each species has very specific pruning needs based on flower production and the growing season. Our employees are trained in the most common landscape plants in Kansas so they know which plants need to be pruned and when.

Pruning for Bloom Production

First priority is pruning for bloom production. We don’t prune early spring bloomers like redbud and dogwood in the fall as that would cut off the blooming branches. It’s best to postpone pruning until after flowers fade to enjoy the maximum amount of flowers in the spring. Some trees, like oaks, crab apples, and elms, have strict pruning windows (winter) to avoid giving pests and diseases access to fresh cuts.

Pruning for Plant Development

Trees and bushes need shaping as they grow or it can lead to a weakening of the plant and trunks splitting under stress like too much weight from snow in the winter. We focus on overall plant shape, removing wayward branches and thinning unwanted branches.

Pruning for Space Management

Sometimes trees and shrubs just get overgrown and start crowding out other plants in the landscape. These overachievers need to be pruned back simply for space management. We make sure your landscape plants are kept in check so the entire grouping looks visually balanced.

Leaf & Debris Removal

Keeping your lawn free of leaves and debris over the winter can be the difference between having a thin and bare lawn and a thick lawn. If leaves stay on the lawn for more than 2 weeks, you can expect the lawn under the leaves to thin dramatically. If you need leaf and debris removal, give us a call. Fall leaves are mulched and then the excess leaves are removed from your property for composting every other week in November and December, with a final clean up from beds and lawn later in December. You’ll be left with a clean landscape and less to do this spring when things warm up again.

If you need help with fall cleanup or tree and shrub pruning, give us a call at (913) 782-8315 or contact us online. We’ll keep your lawn and landscape looking great all year long!

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About David Magruder

Dave Magruder has worked in the turf, lawn & landscape industry for 20+ years with the majority of that experience coming in golf course design, construction and maintenance. He is passionate about helping people and has found a great home at Custom Lawn & Landscape, Inc. in Olathe, KS in helping home and business owners in Kansas and Missouri build, develop and maintain amazing lawns and landscapes.

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  • Your Personal Technician has a college degree, is experienced, and is your trusted advisor.
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  • Our goal is to always provide honest advice & real solutions to our customers.
  • We provide full service-residential & commercial lawn care, mowing, & irrigation services. We also maintain your trees, shrubs and landscape.
  • Locally owned by the same family since 1981.

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