Category Archives: Landscaping

Announcements, Landscaping

LANDSCAPE NOTICE

Ruppert Landscape Company:

February / March maintenance schedule, weather permitting:

February 28th

March 13th

March 27th

February 28th, March 13th, and March 27th — preemergent on the 28th in mulch beds and mowing on an as-needed basis during each visit.

Visits include the removal of any sizable sticks and Crepe Myrtle bark in Common Areas, picking up leaf bags and debris piles in the community, hard surface blowing, and other things out of place in Weathersfield.

April through the fall: Ruppert will resume its weekly schedule each Wednesday, weather permitting.

The two metal signs “This Week in Weathersfield” will indicate when Ruppert will be in the community.

Thank you for continuing to place your brown paper leaf bags and other yard debris in your Close’s designated staging area the night before, or the day of, routine maintenance (i.e., Wednesday).

NOTE:  I will be out of the country from February 27 to April 3. In my absence, Steve Krasnow has kindly agreed to act as Landscape contact.  Please direct any questions or concerns to Steve since I will not be answering emails of phone calls.

Cell phone: 301-254-3250

Email: sjkrasnow@gmail.com

David L. Piet, Landscape Committee Chair

Announcements, Landscaping

ROOF BLOWING

CTI will begin blowing leaves and other debris off home and garage roofs on Monday Feb. 12 and should be finished by Friday Feb. 16, depending on the weather. We do not yet have information about where they will start. We will post that information when it is available.

 

Announcements, Landscaping

MULCHING ON RESIDENTS’ PERSONAL PROPERTY AND COMMON AREAS

Mulching on Personal Property and in Common Areas will begin on February 19 and will take several days to complete, weather permitting.

Prior to the start of mulching in WSG on February 19, Ruppert and a member of the Landscape Committee will walk the Closes to identify small grassy areas that are difficult to mow.  The intent is to integrate these areas with existing mulched beds in front of Private Property along walkways.   This will not only save Landscape money used for mowing during regular maintenance but will beautify existing beds.

The crew will not be mulching under the large shrubs that surround several parking areas

Landscaping

Winter Landscaping Schedule

Ruppert Landscaping is now on a 10-day winter schedule. They plan their next visit for Monday, December 11, weather permitting. Please set out leaf bags and other debris on Sunday evening or Monday morning for pickup.

This 10-day schedule will continue until the spring season. Watch for the “MAINTENANCE” sign on Swim & Croquet and Weathersfield before putting out yard waste.

David L. Piet, Landscape Chair, WSG Board

Announcements, Landscaping

Upcoming Turf Treatment/Renovation & Pruning Schedule

Subject:  Ruppert Landscape

Turf Treatment/Renovation: Aeration and overseeding of grassy areas throughout Weathersfield will take place on Thursday, September 28, weather permitting.  Prior to the aeration process, Ruppert will cut the grass lower than normal to allow for deeper penetration of seed.

This is an expensive undertaking since turf renovation consists of double aeration of the affected areas, the application of lime, reseeding, fertilizer, and initial watering upon installation.

NOTE: Please do not park on the verges along Weathersfield, Woodbury, and Swim and Croquet since this will inhibit new growth.  Also please ask that your contractors also not park heavy trucks and equipment along these same verges.

Pruning on Private Property: Pruning of bushes, shrubs, and holly trees on private property will begin on Wednesday, October 4 (weather permitting) – on a Close-by-Close basis.  Pruning will continue the following week if necessary.

Plastic zip bags with colored marking tape will be distributed to each Close one week before pruning is to begin and placed on a bench in the Common or with one of your neighbors.  Please check the bench or with your neighbors to obtain the tape.  It is important that you use the tape to identify any plants that are on your private property that you DO NOT want Ruppert to prune.  Anything not marked with tape will be pruned.

Once Ruppert has finished in your Close, please remove the tape from your plants and leave any unused tape on the bench in your Close for pickup.

NOTES: (1) Per Ruppert’s contract, the crew will not prune beyond the HVAC system or behind residences.  The crew has been similarly instructed not to go beyond these points.  (2) Bushes and shrubs in front of windows need to be pruned to the lower window level and those along entry way railings need to be pruned away from siding to both protect the siding and allow access for maintenance contractors to work.

Fall and Winter Schedule: Ruppert Landscape will begin its fall and winter routine maintenance in Weathersfield starting in November on an approximately 10-day schedule.

Thank you for your cooperation and consideration.

David Piet, Landscape Chair, WSG Board

Announcements, Landscaping

Notice of Spring Pruning

Ruppert Landscape will be pruning in WSG from Wednesday, May 24 to Wednesday, May 31, on a Close-by-Close basis, weather permitting.  This includes bushes, shrubs, and small trees on both personal property and in Common Areas, especially around parking areas.

Plastic bags with colored marking tape will be distributed to each Close and placed on a bench in your Common or with one of your neighbors.  Please check the bench or with your neighbors to obtain the tape.  It is important that you use the tape to identify any plants that are on your private property that you DO NOT want Ruppert to prune.  Anything not marked will be pruned.

Once Ruppert has finished in your Close, please remove the tape from your plants and leave any unused tape on the bench in your Close for pickup.

NOTE:  Per Ruppert’s contract, the crew will not prune beyond the HVAC system or behind residences.  The crew has been similarly instructed not to go beyond these points.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation,
David L. Piet, Landscape Chair

Announcements, Community News, Landscaping

NOTIFICATION OF TURF RENOVATION

Over the last several weeks, the Landscape Committee has been working closely with Ruppert Landscape to develop an affordable turf beautification renovation plan for our community. On April 5, 2023, Ruppert’s WSG Area Manager, Field Manager, and the Landscape Committee surveyed each Close to determine if, and how much, each main Common Area and areas near/around private property, needed turf renovation.  That survey indicated that while many of the Common Areas, as well as sections around private property, did not need renovation due to the spring rains and warmer weather, other areas did need some kind of renovation.  Ruppert then submitted an initial proposal for work to start toward the middle of April, but that proposal was costly and somewhat incomplete. The Landscape Committee felt that the proposal needed a second review before contracting the work.

On April 17, the Landscape Committee met with the Regional Manager and another senior Area Manager to review the initial proposal.  After a thorough review and a walk around several Closes, Ruppert’s strong recommendation was to put off the turf renovation (especially seeding and fertilizing) until fall due to the following:

  1. One turf treatment of pre-emergent for weeds had occurred already and a second one is scheduled to be done soon. Doing turf renovation now would negate 100% success with seed germination while doing it in the spring would reduce the success rate due to vagaries in the weather over the summer, especially the heat. Ruppert does not recommend foregoing these early turf applications since they are critical in order to control the weeds, especially broadleaf.
  2. The lime application, however, would be beneficial at any time to work towards balancing the pH in soil conditions.

Since these compelling and cost-conscious recommendations make a great deal of sense, Turf Renovation will occur this fall.

April — Throughout WSG -TBD

  • Application of pelletized dolomite lime to all areas.

This step is needed to prepare the soil for the fall application of Tall Fescue seed and fertilizer to all areas to be surveyed in the fall.

Fall – Late September – Early October – TBD: 

NOTE: While lime will be applied to all areas in WSG in April, not all areas will require aeration and seeding in the fall.  Prior to these applications, the Landscape Committee and Ruppert will conduct a Close-by-Close survey to determine which Common Areas and areas around residences need the following two applications of all surveyed areas.

  • Double aeration to pulverize the soil by machine and create a medium for the application of the seed and fertilizer.
  • Tall Fescue seed and fertilizer will be applied as needed. Fertilizer will be applied a second time approximately 30 days later. Aeration will also occur at that time to enhance the germination of seeding which has taken place.

NOTE:   A Notice with specific Closes and/or residences will be sent out announcing these interventions prior to the work being done.

This will be an expensive undertaking since turf renovation consists of double aeration of the affected areas, the application of lime, reseeding, fertilizer, and initial watering upon installation.   The Ruppert proposal further states: “All newly installed plant material shall be covered by a one-time, six-month replacement warranty … and is contingent upon proper watering and maintenance being provided by the owner.”  Since this project will be very expensive and will consume a good portion of the Landscape budget for 2023, the Landscape Committee appeals to residents in each Close for assistance, if possible, after the work has been done in the Fall. The watering and maintenance of your areas will help ensure that our funds have been well spent and that the rejuvenation of these areas will proceed as planned.  Ruppert would charge from $60.00 to $100.00 per hour to water depending upon how subsequent watering would be done, which would substantially increase the cost of this project.

Thank you for your understanding and for your continuing collective efforts to keep WSG beautiful.

David Piet, Landscape Committee Chair

P.S. I will be out of town from April 19 – May 9, 2023, so there will be no “Maintenance” signs put out on the two “What’s Happening in WSG” stands along Weathersfield and Swim and Croquet.  Regular maintenance will be every Wednesday, weather permitting.

Announcements, Community News, Landscaping

LANDSCAPE NOTICE

Subject:  Ruppert Landscape in Weathersfield

  1. Regular maintenance will take place on Tuesday, March 21, next week rather than Wednesday since mulching will be done the following two days. This is the last day for Ruppert’s 2x per month fall/winter schedule.
  2. Mulching will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, March 22 and 23.
  3. Ruppert will begin their regular 4x per month routine maintenance the first week of April. They will be in WSG each Wednesday, weather permitting.

Reminders:

  • Please place your leaf bags and yard debris in the designate place in your Close for pickup by the Ruppert crew.
  • Please do not use plastic bags for yard refuse.

Let’s keep up the great work of keeping WSG clean and beautiful.

Landscaping

Winter Reminders for Ruppert Landscape and Davey Tree

Ruppert Landscaping:

During regular maintenance in WSG on Wednesday, January 11, Ruppert will also pick up Christmas trees.  Please put your tree at the entrance of your Close or in the designated area in your Close where you regularly place your paper leaf bags and other yard debris.

Davey Tree:

  • The annual WSG tree survey which identified branches or trees that needed to be removed over houses, decks, and garages, was conducted on December 14 and 16.
  • Davey Tree will do the actual work of branch and tree removal in mid-January 2023.

As usual, it will be noisy due to the use of chain saws and the chipper.