Spring Cleanup: Cleanup and removal of debris that have collected on and around turf, planting beds, and other key landscape areas (leaves, sticks, etc.). Cleanup of accumulated snow plowing and sanding debris along driveway and road edges where applicable.

Topsoil and Re-Seeding: Areas damaged along driveways and road edges (where applicable) due to winter snow removal activities, will be repaired, top dressed with topsoil and re-seeded.

Regrade Drive: Driveways will be regraded, re-crowned and edges will be sharpened. This will greatly enhance the look of your landscape as well as extend the life of the driveway.

Compact Drive: Driveways with steeper grades or heavy traffic patterns will be compacted in order to help them hold their form and endurance.

Re-Edging Landscape Beds: Landscape beds and mulched areas, bordered by turf, will be mechanically or hand-edged providing an outline of landscape features. Edging not only improves the look of the landscape, but it helps keep the turf areas separate from mulched areas.

Re-Mulching Landscape Beds: Landscape beds that contain mulch will be re-mulched every spring with high quality triple ground bark mulch. Just enough mulch is applied in order to “dress up” the landscape, reduce weed growth, while at the same time protecting against the over mulching of valuable large feature trees and root collars.

Weed Control: Target areas are treated to control weeds; the following are standard: drip edges, driveways, select stone drainage swales, select areas of landscape beds and tree planting rings.

Brush Cutting: Brush cut areas consist of areas that are not part of the regular mowing plan. These areas are cut per your contract monthly, mid-summer and fall, or just one cut in the fall. This type of cutting prevents the growth of woody plants and maintains a field/meadow look.

Field Mowing: Mowing of large “field areas” with larger tractor and field mower completed mid-summer and fall or just fall.
Note: In many cases this service is combined with Brushcutting in order to cover all sections of the property efficiently.

Fall Cleanup: Clean up of fall leaf material and debris in preparation for winter. Leaf material will be removed from the lawn, bed areas, decks, drip edge borders and specialized areas outlined within your contract. Additionally, at this time, we can install snow covers and wrap sensitive valuable trees and shrubs should you require this option.

Mowing: Lawns are cut in balanced patterns, all edges and border areas will be hand trimmed to remove overgrowth and to maintain a crisp appearance. Grass clippings are removed from walkways, driveways, and landscape.

Spring Lawn Fertilization: Fertilization is completed just as turf begins to grow after our long winter. It promotes a quicker green up which will help the turf to fill in any areas damaged due the winter's ice and snow.

Spring Fertilization and Weed Prevention: Fertilizer combined with a weed preventative material is applied to turf areas. It promotes green-up and works to prevent crabgrass and other select weeds from even germinating.

Early Summer Lawn Fertilization: Fertilizer is applied to turf areas just as we get ready for summer in Vermont. It will promote the green up of turf and encourage thick growth patterns, which will reduce the potential of weed invasion.

Broadleaf Weed Control with Lawn Areas: An application of various state-approved, low-dose pesticides specifically formulated for the weeds identified in your lawn is applied by one of our many state certified turf technicians. This is a liquid application, which allows for quicker up take by targeted weeds while leaving no long-standing residuals.

Preventative Grub Control with Fertilizer: A preventative application is applied to help suppress grubs in your lawn.

Lawn Disease: Applications are applied that will suppress or prevent the spread of disease throughout turf areas. Liquid materials are used and in many cases are repeated several times in order to maintain control. This is largely dependent on the type of disease targeted and weather patterns.

Late Summer Lawn Fertilization: Fertilizer is applied to turf areas in order to maintain green and very thick growth throughout the season. Thick turf helps to prevent weed invasion into otherwise healthy lawns.

Fall Lawn Fertilization: An application of fertilizer is applied to turf areas, which will work to maintain green and thick growth until the end of the season. Plus, additional materials are used that will encourage root growth during this critical time of turf development. Lawns fertilized in the fall not only receive the above benefits but also hold green better throughout the winter and are the first to green up in the spring.

Fall Lawn Fertilization and Weed Preventative: All the same benefits as stated in the standard fall lawn fertilization, plus the additional use of material that is designed for fall application that will prevent crabgrass and select other weeds the following season.

Lime Application: Most of the soils in Vermont are of a pH that require lime in order to bring the pH to an acceptable levels. Correct pH levels will allow for the proper absorption of nutrients and in many cases work to suppress the spread of unwanted moss.

Over Seeding: This is the seeding of turf areas right over the top of the existing turf. In many cases, this is completed in conjunction with core aeration.

Slice Seeding – Spring or Fall: A specialized machine is used to slice a groove in the ground down through the existing sod and new seed is introduced and the groove is closed. This is a highly specialized service used for the installation of new lawn areas or to re-establish old thin lawns. The germination rates are very high.

Lawn Aeration – Spring and/or Fall: Healthy plants require oxygen and turf is no exception to that rule. Cores or plugs are pulled from the ground throughout the turf areas. Core aeration significantly improves root growth and mass while at the same time reduces thatch and compaction.

Fruit Tree Pruning: Ornamental and edible fruit trees are pruned to promote healthy growth patterns, shape, and deadwood is removed which works to help reduce the spread of disease.

Dormant Oil Application: Horticultural Oil applied to targeted trees and shrubs in order suppress over wintering stages of insects.

Birch Leaf Miner Treatmentl: Birch Leaf Miners are small insects that feed on and skeletize leaves leaving an unsightly appearance and compromising the health of the tree. An application is made by soil injection, trunk injection, or standard spray methods depending on your contract and in some cases the location of the tree.

Bronze Birch Borer: Bronze Birch Borers are insects that bore into the tree and then feed in circular patterns under the bark. This severely impairs the tree's ability to uptake nutrients leading to a decline in health and most often death of the tree. A preventative is applied in early spring or fall by soil injection, soil drenching or trunk injection. If you have birch trees in your landscape this service is highly recommended.

Deep Root Fertilization – Spring and/or Fall: Trees and shrubs are fertilized with a liquid fertilizer through a deep root injection method. Homestead has custom blended fertilizers in order to match the needs of trees and shrubs in the Vermont environment. Our blends contain all the necessary macro and micro nutrients, with variations including but not limited to Sea Kelp, Humic Acid, Microbial Biostimulants, Wetting agents and beneficial bacteria, etc.

Custom Fertilization Blends: Blends developed for specific sites and the special case need of selected trees and shrubs.

Pine Tree Pruning: Pruning and shaping of the new growth on pine trees in order to maintain desired shape, height and size.

Ornamental Tree and Shrub Pruning: Trees and shrubs are pruned to improve and maintain healthy growth patterns and to help ensure that growth patterns match the needs of the landscape. Additionally, pruning takes place in order to control shape, height, and clearance of structures.

Large Tree Pruning and Removal: Large feature trees are maintenance pruned, corrective pruned, and/or safety pruned. Trees that have been determined hazardous or deemed unwanted by the owners will be removed.

Spring Bed Maintenance: Perennial Beds are prepared for spring and summer. Plant stalks that have been left behind for winter interest are removed and beds are cultivated in order to extend the life of your perennials and to maximize growth and color they will be fertilized with an extended life fertilizer that will provide necessary nutrients during the growing season.

Weekly, Bi-Weekly or Monthly Bed Maintenance: Care for your annual and perennial flowers. Plants will be deadheaded and pinched back as required. Beds will be cultivated, and annuals will be fertilized in order to maximize color and growth. Note: Watering will be provided during this service but during times of drought additional care will be needed.

Spring, Summer and Fall Annual Installation: Annual flower displays will be installed in beds and/or containers.

Fall Bed Maintenance: Annual flower displays will be removed. If containers are present they will be removed and stored for the winter. Perennials that have no winter interest or will be lost in the snow will be cut back and prepared for winter.