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Is landscaping a good investment?

How much does landscaping cost?

How far ahead should I call for landscape construction?

What time of year do I use Dormant Oil and what does it do?

Rabbits and voles have eaten the bark on my trees. Can I save the tree?

Why are hardiness zones important in choosing trees and shrubs?

What is the best time to plant trees and shrubs?

When is the best time to dethatch lawn and what are the benefits?

Now that the snow is leaving, I see all these tunneled areas of dirt all over my lawn and it looks terrible! What is this and what can I do?

Some of my perennials and spring bulbs are not coming up. What's wrong?

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Q:	Is landscaping a good investment?

A:	Landscaping is one of the best investments you can make when planning a home improvement project. Landscaping can add up to 15 percent to a home's value, and a well landscaped home sells faster.
The Value of Landscaping Landscaping can add between 7 and 15 percent to a home's value. Source: The Gallup Organization. Homes with "excellent" landscaping can expect a sale price about 6 to 7 percent higher than equivalent houses with "good" landscaping, while improving landscaping from "average" to "good" can result in a 4 to 5 percent increase. Source: Clemson University. Landscaping can bring a recovery value of 100 to 200 percent at selling time. Kitchen remodeling brings a 75 to 125 percent recovery rate, bathroom remodeling a 20 to 120 percent recovery rate, and addition of a swimming pool a 20 to 50 percent recovery rate. Source: Money Magazine. A mature tree can often have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000. Source: Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers. In one study, 99% of real estate appraisers concurred that landscaping enhances the sales appeal of real estate. Source: Trendnomics, National Gardening Association. In one study, 83% of Realtors believe that mature trees have a "strong or moderate impact" on the salability of homes listed for under $150,000; on homes over $250,000, this perception increases to 98%. Source: American Forests, Arbor National Mortgage. Landscaping can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 50 percent, by shading the windows and walls of a home. Source: American Public Power Association. Trees can reduce bothersome noise by up to 50 percent and can mask unwanted noises with pleasant sounds. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Trees can reduce temperatures by as much as nine degrees Fahrenheit. Source: American Forests. A single urban tree can provide up to $273 a year in air conditioning, pollution fighting, erosion and storm water control, and wildlife shelter benefits. Source: American Forests. Top reasons people garden: To be outdoors (44%); to be around beautiful things (42%); relax and escape the pressures of everyday life (39%); stay active and get exercise (35%). Source: American Demographics, Roper Report. top
Q:	How much does landscaping cost?

A:	Landscaping is one of the best investments you can make when planning a home improvement project. It is possible to receive up to 200% return on your landscape investment when you sell your home, and a well landscaped home sells faster. When landscaping their home, homeowners will spend on average between 5% and 15% of their homes value, and will complete their landscaping in two to five installation phases. Although it can be slightly more cost effective to install an entire landscape in one phase, smaller phases of $3,000 to $9,000 are common. Projects below $2,000 generally take less than one full day for a crew to install and are less efficient due to travel and set up time. To determine how much to allocate for landscaping certain areas of your yard, first make a list of some general types of landscaping you may need, and prioritize it (example: #1 lawn & brick patio, #2 front foundation planting, #3 trees, #4 back foundation planting, #5 privacy plantings, #6 pergola, #7 water garden, #8 landscape lighting, etc.) Your Landscape Designer can then help you in assigning some rough costs to each item you've listed based on a discussion of your tastes and the size of the area to be landscaped. Because the foundation plantings are directly related to the size and quality of the home, a percentage of home value can be used to determine a reasonable range to allocate towards the areas around the home. For example, a 1.5% to 2.5% of home value is a realistic number to spend on a front or back foundation planting, and about half of that on the sides of a home. Communicating to your Designer some basic information regarding personal tastes, interests and budget is the first step towards receiving a landscape plan that's tailor made for you. top
Q:	How far ahead should I call for landscape construction?

A:	For a spring installation we suggest that you call the October or November before. If you contact us in the spring the installation would take place in July or August. If you contact us in late summer or fall expect about a two to four week turn around time. top
Q:	What time of year do I use Dormant Oil and what does it do?

A:	Dormant oil should be used in early spring, before the buds break into leaf. Dormant oil will smother and kill many over-wintering pests and scale. It is a preventative measure that is worth the time it takes by reducing numbers of pests the rest of the year. Dormant oil is also environmentally friendly. top
Q:	Rabbits and voles have eaten the bark on my trees. Can I save the tree?

A:	If the bark has not been eaten all the way around the tree, the tree is likely to survive if the damage is not too great. If the tree has been girdled, or in other words, the bark has been removed in an entire circle around the tree, bridge grafting can save the tree. The University Extension has a leaflet available on bridge grafting as well as a bridge grafting class. If an evergreen has been girdled, you will not be able to save it. top
Q:	Why are hardiness zones important in choosing trees and shrubs?

A:	These numbered zones refer to the winter temperatures in your area. Consult a hardiness zone map to find out what zone you are in. Here, most of our area is in zone 4, with winter temperatures going as low as 30 degrees. Some areas near the lake (Door County) are zone 5, with winter temperatures as low as 20 degrees. So, the larger the zone number, the warmer the climate in winter. Most plants have tags or information available on what zones they will grow in. Stick with plants that will grow in your zone. Otherwise, you most likely will waste the money you spent on a plant trying to grow it in an area colder than it is adapted for. You can experiment with a plant or two that is one zone warmer than yours. Plant in a microclimate area in your yard. An example of a microclimate is any protected area in the yard that cheats the zone number. For instance, a protected place near the house on the south side might be an example of a microclimate. top
Q:	What is the best time to plant trees and shrubs?

A:	Bare rootstock can only be planted in the spring before they have broken dormancy. Potted nursery stock or balled and burlaped trees and shrubs can be planted from spring until fall. top
Q:	When is the best time to dethatch lawn and what are the benefits?

A:	The best time to dethatch your lawn is in early spring before the grass has begun to actively grow. If you wait too long to dethatch, you risk the possibility of pulling the grass out by the roots. Dethatching is removing the dead mats of grass that build up. When the thatch becomes too excessive, it can smother the grass, blocking out the flow of air, water and nutrients. In addition, it creates a hiding place for pests and diseases. In our area, it is usually necessary to dethatch a lawn only once every three years. Aerating the lawn will also help keep thatch under control. top
Q:	Now that the snow is leaving, I see all these tunneled areas of dirt all over my lawn and it looks terrible! What is this and what can I do?

A:	This is damage caused by voles, which are small rodents related to mice. They reproduce with 5 young per litter, up to 10 litters per year, so early control is important. Some methods of control can be reducing the hiding places in your yard by eliminating mulch, keeping grass shorter, getting the help of a cat, live trapping, or setting traps baited with peanut butter. Some have tried putting poisoned bait down the holes. All of these methods may only be partially effective. top
Q:	Some of my perennials and spring bulbs are not coming up. What's wrong?

A:	You may have had some winterkill or injury. It is advisable to mulch your perennial beds with at least 6 of straw or similar material for the winter. This is not to keep the ground from freezing, it is to keep the soil temperatures from fluctuating, thus causing alternate freezing and thawing. This alternate freezing and thawing breaks plants roots and heaves them out of the soil. Some people never mulch their beds for winter, and most years this will work fine. Usually we have adequate snowfall to create snow mulch. However, this year we had little or now snow until mid-February. In addition to the alternate freezing and thawing that occurs without winter mulch, the frost is able to penetrate the soil much deeper. top

Botanical Gardens
Green Bay Botanical Garden   http://www.gbbg.org/index.htm
Gardens of the Fox Cities   http://www.gardensfoxcities.org/
Boerner Botanical Gardens   http://boernerbotanicalgardens.org/index.html
Olbrich Botanical Gardens    http://olbrich.org/
Chicago botanical gardens   http://chicagobotanicalgardens.org/

Resource Information
UWEX Urban Horticulture http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wihort/index.html
UWEX Infosource   http://infosource.uwex.edu/
Landscape Plants of the Upper Midwest    http://midwestlandscapeplants.org/
Diggers Hotline    http://diggershotline.com/