Our customers are justifiably proud of their landscapes. We like to work in our gardens and turf. We like others to enjoy them as well. We plant species which attract butterflies, bees, and birds. They add to the attractiveness of our landscape. There are others who often show up uninvited in one sense; but they too, also are most appreciative of the work we do in our landscapes.

We receive a number of calls each spring regarding tracks in the yard as the snow melts. Invariably, the tracks are vole runs. There are three species of voles in Nebraska, but for turf areas, we are probably only dealing with two of the species. In size, they are a little larger than mice with a shorter tail and a stocky build. They have cyclical populations which can range from 25 per acre to as many as 250 per acre. While those numbers seem high, consider the size of your turf area, as well as the fact that cycles are irregular and not sustained at any level for long, before becoming too alarmed. As they are the favorite prey of snakes, owls, coyotes, hawks, weasels and other carnivores, they have a high mortality rate. To compensate for this, they are rather prolific breeders.

The tracks you see in the spring as the snow melts are clipped grass surface runways connecting underground entrances and feeding sites. Voles are active year round, but the runs are less noticeable when turf is actively growing. Voles eat bulbs, the shoot and roots of plants, tree bark, tubers, the seeds of grasses, all of which leads to plant and tree damage, the severity of which varies with the size of the population.

So what does a body do? Doing nothing is always an option. Once turf begins growing, the surface runs usually fill back in. If vole numbers are not large, you may notice no damage. However, if you cannot abide any interlopers, or the ones that are there are doing a number on your plantings, you do have options.

You can modify the habitat by making sure grass is mowed properly and gardens are weeded, especially around trees. This denies them covered access, making them more susceptible to predators.

One can try to exclude them by fencing off expensive trees and plants. This usually works better with smaller gardens. The mesh openings should not exceed one quarter inch, and the fence should be twelve inches high and buried slightly below ground (if you want to fence out rabbits at the same time, go to twenty inches high and four inches below ground). You can also wrap trees with wire or plastics, making sure there are no gaps.

Now, if they have really made you mad, you can hire an assassin; or if you are not too squeamish, you can do the deed yourself. Mouse traps work nicely. Set two in a run, with triggers facing away or one trap perpendicular to the run with the trigger in the run. You can place two traps on either side of an entrance, triggers facing the entrance hole. It may be a good idea to secure the traps to the ground with a nail into the soil. Peanut butter makes great bait.

These are remedies that most people can do. There are other methods best left to a professional.

A great deal of this information comes from the wisdom and experience of Dennis Ferraro, resident herpetologist, and an extension associate professor at the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dennis is a frequent speaker and instructor at various turf conferences and classes for professionals in the turf industry. He is most entertaining and always eager to help us do a better job of serving you. He will be referenced often by us throughout the year.

Stay tuned.

Chuck Sr.

February is a great time to start organizing your vegetable garden. As the amount of daylight slowly increases each day, you can begin to consider which veggies you want to plant this season, how many you will have space for, and if you will be starting any from seed.  Many seasoned gardeners find that keeping a journal is a helpful way to remember what worked well the year before and what they would like to do differently for next season.  You can start by considering three important factors.

Location: The area should be exposed to at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Taller plants, such as tomatoes, corn, and trellised plants should be planted on the north side of the garden so that the smaller plants will not be shaded by the taller ones.

Spacing: The size of your garden plot will determine how many plants you are able to grow in that space. Your vegetable plants will need plenty of room above and below ground to grow and mature. Most vegetable plants are sold with tags that will list the spacing requirements.  Generally, small plants such as garlic and green onions need about 3-4 inches between plants on all sides. Vegetables such as chard, lettuce, and cabbage need about 6-9 inches between plants. Larger vegetable plants, including tomatoes and peppers, need about two feet of space. Using a trellis is a great way to conserve valuable garden space. Vegetables that can be trellised include peas, beans, cucumbers, small squash, small melons, and eggplants.

Companion Plants: Companion planting is the practice of planting vegetables alongside certain plants that will attract bees and other beneficial insects to the garden while deterring pests. Planting sunflowers near the garden will distract ants and aphids. Whiteflies are a common pest in vegetable gardens, but if you plant one of the stronger scented varieties of marigolds or basil they will repel whiteflies, nematodes, and more. In a similar fashion, chrysanthemums and dahlias will repel root nematodes and other crawlers.

Enjoy the warm weather!

After your fall clean-up is complete for the year, it is time to winterize your tools so that they are sharp, sanitized, and easy to find come spring.

1. Clean all soil and debris off tools.
2. Sanitize tools, especially those that have been used on diseased plant material.
3. Sharpen blades of hoes, pruners, spades, loppers, and saws.
4. Make any necessary repairs.
5. Organize tools and equipment so that it is easily accessible for spring.

Remove soil or vegetation from all tools using a wire brush, scraper or a strong stream of water. Wire brushes marketed to clean grills are handy because they usually include a scraper. Once everything has been cleaned and dried, lubricate all tool pivot points and springs. Finally, spray all bare metal parts and cutting edges with penetrating oil such as WD-40 to prevent rust.

When sanitizing garden tools, the usual ratio is a 10 percent solution or 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Using a 1 cup measuring cup, this would be 1 cup bleach to 9 cups water. Use a heavy solution of 3 parts bleach and 2 parts water to disinfect tools used on plants that are known to be diseased. Sanitizing once per year for tools such as shovel and hoes is sufficient, but tools such as pruners and loppers should be sanitized after each use. This process with help prevent the spread of fungus, disease, insects, and insect eggs.

Check all tools thoroughly for loose screws or nuts and tighten them accordingly. Replace or repair broken handles and other bent or broken parts. Wheelbarrows, carts and wagons may also need some attention before winter. Clean them thoroughly and touch up paint chips with spray paint to prevent exposed steel from rusting.

With your array of garden tools and supplies, the key to great garage storage and organization is getting things off the floor and onto the wall. A pegboard attached to a wall is a great place to store garden tools when not in use. Hardware stores and home improvement centers have a variety of hooks and wall brackets for tools of all shapes and sizes. Don’t forget the hoses and other watering aids. Before storing hoses, nozzles and other sprinkler attachments away for the winter, drain all the water from them and store in a dry location. Hose supports or reels prevent sagging and kinking. Regardless of your preferred storage method, having tools ready to go in the spring will make those early season chores that much easier.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Rachael and Tobias

We hope your list of events this holiday season is long and joyful. If that list is a little too long, why not let us help? Forget about tangled lights, scary ladders, and freezing fingertips. CM’s can bring a little magic to your front door, with our professional and well-trained holiday lighting team. Our holiday lighting services include consultation and design, installation, removal, and storage for residential and commercial properties.

We have a comprehensive list of products available from traditional incandescent lighting to energy-saving LED lights. We can create a unique display lighting the roofline, installing ground displays, placing starbursts and strands in trees or anything in between.

Below is a brief outline of how our holiday lighting process works.

1) Call our office 402-738-1718 or contact us via or website. One of our knowledgeable team members will set a time to meet with to discuss your holiday lighting wishes.

2) Once we have developed a holiday lighting design and confirmed your product we will schedule your holiday lighting installation.

3) This is the BEST step. Watch your lights glow throughout the holiday season!

4) Our team will remove and store your holiday lights.

Flip the switch this holiday season and let CM’s install your holiday décor.

For additional photos please see our holiday lighting photo gallery.

The telltale signs are here. First comes football season. Then the weather is absurdly amazing (we can dream that every autumn always starts out beautiful). Leaves start to fall. It is nearly time to give our landscape beds some attention.

After several hard frosts:

-Cut perennials back to soil level and remove debris.

-Consider which plants performed well and which did not. Make a note of any changes to be made it the spring.

-Remove debris from any annual plantings in the landscape.

-If we have a fall with limited rainfall, give the landscape a deep soak to prevent stress on the plants as they go into winter.

-Add a one inch layer of mulch to help conserve soil moisture and protect the root systems, especially for newly planted landscapes.

Removing debris such as leaves and other dead plant material from the landscape will prevent the spread of certain fungi that can overwinter on dead plant material and then continue to spread and infect new leaf tissue during the following spring. Taking the extra step to remove debris will also eliminate potential nesting areas created by unwanted critters.

You may want to consider leaving ornamental grass, coneflower, and black-eyed susan in the landscape over the winter months. Not only do they add structure and interest to the winter landscape, but they are also a food source for some native birds. If you decide to wait until spring to cut these perennials back, this should be done no later than mid- May to allow for the new growth to emerge.

Enjoy the Fall!

Rachael and Tobias

What can you say about a spring that has yet to arrive? Sure the grass is green, there are buds on the trees and shrubs, and birds are making nests at the angle of the house and downspout (I have three trees in my yard; you think they could find one of them). The temperatures, on the other hand, are hardly something in which you can revel. You are probably wondering where I am going with this. The cool season grasses - Kentucky blue, the fescue and rye - thrive in the cooler seasons of the year, typically now into June and again in the fall. I encourage you to enjoy the experience. I also urge you to be thinking about those months in between when heat and humidity take the measure of these same grasses. Last season’s experience led us to rethink our typical advice on dealing with fungus in turf.

While we can’t control temperature and humidity, we can do some things to minimize their effect on your turf. Healthy, dense turf withstands most adverse occurrences better than turf that is not so healthy. That is always the first thing we aim for. If you have a lawn that is on the thin side, overseeding is a must until it thickens up.

A well-aerated turf resists disease better. We recommend aerating twice a year.

Pay attention to irrigation amounts and timing. Right now, we are getting more than adequate moisture for turf. As the seasons change, so do rainfall amounts; there is a tendency to overwater. There is no hard and fast rule as to the number of times per week or the number of minutes per zone. It is all about how your turf absorbs the water at the root zone. On slopes, longer irrigation times lead to run-off; break your irrigation into shorter cycles to maximize absorption and minimize run-off. Morning is always the best time for watering turf. Winds are calmer, and the turf canopy has the chance to dry out during the rest of the day.

We never tire of reminding you about keeping you mower blades sharp. We want to cut the grass, not beat it into submission. Disease is more likely to enter a plant through a grass leaf with a ragged edge. We also believe in leaving the clippings where they fall; bagging removes nutrients that you have paid for. The only time you should bag is when you have an active disease process in your turf. Frequency is also important. Turf growth determines when you mow, not trash pick-up. Mow so that you never remove more than one third of the crown at any one mowing. When turf is growing more rapidly, you mow more frequently.

That brings me to fungicides. As a rule, most disease outbreaks end in recovery in the fall with cooler, drier weather. Last year, the rule was broken. We have done a great deal of overseeding since last fall to repair damaged turf. We have fungicides available. We will look for the appearance of disease as the seasons progress, and we will offer you the option of treating or not.

Call or email us with your questions. Check our website, blog and Facebook page for more information about how we help you care for your turf.