SUMMER LANDSCAPING ESSENTIALS

Salivan Landscape shares insights into the hot season

With a hundred years of experience under its belt, it’s safe to say Salivan Landscape knows a thing or two about preparing its multi-residential clients for each Canadian season. Now, after sharing its insights into getting properties ready for spring in the last issue of Condo Business Magazine, the GTA-based crew is back to do the same for summer.

Ask anyone on the Salivan Landscape team what’s on the top of their radar heading into the hot months and the answer is unanimous.

“Summer annuals are the number one thing on everyone’s mind,” says John Bontje, Manager of Landscape Maintenance and Snow Removal with Salivan. “For every condo manager and every condo resident, it’s all about annuals.”

No doubt, says Mike Walker, Assistant Manager of Landscape Maintenance and Snow Removal with Salivan, one of the main priorities from early May to mid-July is ensuring summer plantings are given the best odds of blooming: “That’s when we’re going around with our water truck and fertilizer to all of the sites where we’ve planted and making sure they’re being well taken care of.”

Warmer weather also means more landscaping maintenance. For the Salivan team, that means busy days of weeding, cultivating, and performing a number of actions to keep flowers looking their best.

Hedging For The Season

Hedges are also on the top of Salivan’s to-do list during summer. This means constant pruning and looking for anything that may jeopardize their growth.

“Part of the job with hedges is to monitor them closely to catch any diseases or issues early,” says Bontje. “Most of the time, when we catch something early, we can remedy the issue ourselves or call in a specialist to solve that problem before it gets bigger.”

It helps to be something of a hedge expert, Bontje adds: “Sometimes, you might see a little bit of a shaggy hedge but that’s only because it’s in the process of flowering. That’s why our foreman need to know what type of hedge will bloom on every property so they know not to cut off their blooms before they flower.”

“That applies to all planting,” adds Walker. “Some flowers grow differently from another, so we’re also keeping that in mind and letting our clients know what to expect for their plantings and when they’re ready for maintenance.”

GOING WITH THE FLOW (AND KEEPING PESTS AT BAY)

Over the decades, Salivan has come to expect a lot of questions about their clients’ irrigation systems.

“A lot of our condos ask us to keep a very close eye on their irrigation systems because there might be a break that’s leaving an area really dry or there can be sites that are soaking wet and need the system toned down,” explains Walker. “Either way, once the flowers are in, we need to monitor those sites regularly to verify they’re getting hit with the right amount of irrigation. Otherwise, a beautiful garden can go bad very quickly.”

Keeping unwanted pests from chewing up a condo’s greenspace is another summer task. The fact insects operate on different cycles makes it important to have seasoned professionals who know when and where to check for infestations.

“We know when certain insects are active. For example, it’s important to tell clients that they will have these pest-related problems on their evergreens or deciduous trees in June or July and to watch out for them,” says Bontje.

Opportunities For Improvement

Summer is an ideal season for fresh looks. To that end, Salivan’s crew has a knack for spotting landscaping enhancement opportunities.

“Summer is also a good time of the year to do some upgrades to your garden,” says Walker. “You might have some plants that died back or some bare areas that haven’t been replanted or reused. If we see that, we’ll work with the client to figure out the best ways of filling those areas.”

A Team Approach

One benefit of being in the landscaping business for a century is that you get to know the players. And over the years, Salivan Landscape has developed a network of landscaping partners it can trust to handle more specialized work.

“For the most part, we take care of everything else in-house, but when dealing with large trees we can’t reach, specialized spray programmes, or irrigation work, we work with companies that we know will do the job well,” says Bontje.

It should come as no surprise that summer keeps landscapers on their feet. And a er a century of tending properties throughout the GTA, laying a fresh and healthy foundation comes naturally for the Salivan team.

Since 1923, Salivan Landscape has been a go-to landscaping partner for residential, commercial, and public property owners. Learn more about the company’s services and history at salivanlandscape.com or call 416-321-2100