All people that apply pesticides and herbicides are required to have licensing from the Virginia Department of Agriculture. As such extending education is required each year. See the certificate for Eric Storck, President of Blade Runners, completing this requirment.

The biggest December storm in 25 years is upon us. In preparation for this, please find attached our snow bulletin.
This quick read talks about the manner in which we deliver our service. It addresses the most common questions and concerns of our clients.
Many of the concepts are shared by all snow removal contractors.
Please take a moment to review this and feel free to share with other tenants, residents, and contractors.

 

Snow news letter 400dpi

Hunters Green divider green

Erosion Control

~Case Study~

Hunters Green Cluster

“The combination of Rocks, Plants, and Design turned an eyesore into an attractive area!”

 20june09 002Problem  Betsy Hill, Hunters Green Cluster board member, spearheaded the initial project,”…we were looking to do an erosion project behind [the community].  It’s a shady area with no topsoil left, with trees that could definitely use trimming service, exposed roots, utilities; it’s complicated and the planting would be a big part of making the long term erosion control work.”  Hunters Green Cluster’s rear common area suffered from erosion causing back yard properties to flood, walkways constantly washing out and existing culverts unable to function effectively due to the collection of silt and runoff debris.  The cause is common;  overgrown tree canopy, either by neglect or a desire to keep shaded areas, and that’s why they need to maintain the trees in good condition, and the use of tree trimmers near me is a great option for this purpose.  Without proper canopy pruning, there is an eventual loss of turf area and exposed top soil erodes and causes various erosion problems, such as flooding.

HG Lower Swale BeforeProposal  Account Manager, Terry Turner, provided a thorough assessment of the areas affected by the erosion and found many areas of concern.  He proposed a drainage swale design utilizing River Jack stone for the swale, replace and repair existing clean-outs and create a river jack stone buffer around the existing drainage culverts.  The proposal included the necessary turf renovation and ground cover installation. The proposal was then given to the Reston Association for review.20june09 014

HG Swale After 1Solution Create drainage swales throughout rear common area. Reparations of the existing drainage culverts and clean-outs, turf restoration where turf grass is feasible, and the establishment of ground cover beds under the existing shade trees would be essential to eradicate these erosion issues.  The design included the use of woodchips and perennial ground cover to be installed as a landscape buffer to further protect the topsoil from washing into the new drainage swale.

HG Swale AfterAccolades  “The board at Hunters Green Cluster hired your company to correct an erosion problem behind my home. The landscaping crew finished the project last week and I am writing to tell you how pleased I am with the results. The combination of Rocks, Plants, and design turned an eyesore into an attractive area.” resident, Virginia Banks.  Board member, Betsy Hill, expressed her comments about the drainage swales, “Terry, this project is great!!!!”   “The work is exemplary …. the swale is beautiful…amazing!!!!”, stated long-time supporter and board member, Katherine Hunter.

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DRAINAGE & SOIL EROSION Q&A’s

WHAT IS SOIL EROSION?
Soil erosion occurs when soil particles are carried off by water or wind. In addition to the soil, runoff can wash fertilizer and other pollutants along with it. According to topsoil in puyallup most phosphates and pesticides entering Virginia’s waters are attached to these soil particles. Nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers carried by runoff have been associated with many environmental problems. Streams, ponds, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay suffer from algae growth, depletion of the water’s oxygen supply, and suffocation of aquatic organisms. Soil erosion begins with the depletion of the uppermost layer of soil: dust. And to prevent this, Dust control in Australia has almost become a mandate, in a bid to both stop erosion and keep the atmosphere clean, and the use of other home services like a mice and rodent exterminator could also help keeping your home clean and pest free.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF SOIL EROSION?
Everyone recognizes a gully as evidence of soil erosion. Muddy water in your gutter or driveway also indicates that erosion has been occurring. It may only be visible for a time following a rain, but the damage will continue unless something is done, we recommend yo to visit Prime website if you are looking for a reliable roofing company that gives you a free estimate so we may get your project started immediately.

The following are other indications of erosion.

  • Bare spots on your lawn or property
  • Exposed tree roots
  • Small rills or gullies on slopes
  • Soil splashes on your windows and outside walls
  • Sediment that collects in low areas or on pavement. If you wish to keep the pavement in good condition.

DRAINAGE, WHY DOES DRAINAGE MATTER?
Water always takes the easiest path. Because of this, it is important to understand how and what drainage is in order to find an alternative path for the water on your land.

DRAINAGE ON YOUR PROPERTY HAS A GREATER AFFECT
What drains from your property will affect much more than your land alone. Runoff from your yard is the water that runs across your yard and all the material the water picks up and carries with it. Pollutants in water are frequently referred to as point and nonpoint source pollution. Point source pollutants come from an identified point such as an outfall pipe at an industrial operation. Nonpoint source pollutants come from many sources such as pet waste, leaking or improperly disposed auto fluids, car wash detergent or startchoosing the best soap, or fertilizers from your lawn. Pollutants are carried down into the groundwater table with percolating water draining through soil and disposed. Pollutants are also washed into lakes and streams via surface runoff. Storm drains, along streets and in backyards, lead to local streams. Home lawns and landscapes contribute to pollution when improper water management and chemical application allow fertilizer or pesticide-laden runoff to drain into our water supplies. In some areas, soils are very slow-draining and are referred to as having a high groundwater table. Groundwater tables tend to be at their highest in February and March in Virginia as a result of snowmelt and rains. Reliable

WHAT ARE SOME CLUES AND CORRECTIVE MEASURES?

  • Wet Lawns: To help prevent surface water from standing in your property, don’t create or maintain a perfectly flat space. Maintain a slight slope that drains toward a swale, rain garden or storm sewer inlet. Even very well-drained soils may become saturated in a Virginia summer thunderstorm, so try to maintain a slope of 5 percent away from the house and 2 percent everywhere else
  • Standing water: If your yard, or some portion of it, remains wet and soggy for extended periods (two or three days following a rain), the natural drainage ways may be blocked or have settled and do not have enough grade to drain. Soggy ground and wet lawns are often the result of trapped surface water with no place to go. Most yards are originally graded so that water flows from the front to the street and from the back to a swale, ditch, or storm sewer. The existing grade of your land may have changed with an added patio, walk, or mounded planting beds (ask your deck contractors for more details), or trees may have grown significantly and their roots raised the ground surface.
  • Bare Spots: Excess water is the most frequent cause of bare spots and erosion. If the excess water is moving across your property, it will need to be redirected to a more appropriate area. The redirected water can be diverted to an appropriately planted grassy area, or a drainage swale, (A drainage swale is a shaped and sloped depression in the soil surface used to convey water run-off to a desired location). Regrading may be necessary to the surrounding ground to encourage the water to move where you want it to go.

THINGS TO CONSIDER…

1. Where is the water coming from? Standing rain water? Or is the water flowing onto the property from elsewhere?
2. Where should the water go? Water always flows downhill. Is something preventing the water from draining away? Is a storm drain clogged with debris? Is a drainage ditch overgrown with weeds or full of mulch? Is some man-made barrier blocking the waters natural path?
3. How much water to be handled? Is a wide drainage channel needed or will a shallow channel suffice?
4. How steep is the slope? A gentle slope will have a slow current, while a steep slope will need breaks to slow the water and prevent erosion.

HOW CAN YOU STOP SOIL FROM ERODING?
To solve the erosion problem, you must identify the cause and then correct it with an alternative site design solution using BMPs (best management practices), we recommend to use topsoil to correct any damage left behind the restoration process. BMPs involve measures which accomplish two basic objectives:

  • Reduce the amount of impervious surface area, thereby reducing runoff and
  • Utilize the landscape to naturally filter and infiltrate runoff before it leaves the development site.

Recommended Site Design Alternatives…

  • Natural Drainage Swales: A drainage swale is a shaped and sloped depression in the soil surface used to convey water run-off to a desired location. A drainage swale is designed with a lining of vegetation, riprap, asphalt, concrete, or other material and is used to intercept and divert flow to a suitable outlet. It is constructed by excavating a channel and applying the appropriate stabilization. They can be used to convey runoff from the bottom or top of slope. For swales draining a disturbed area, the outlet can be to a sediment trapping device prior to its release.
  • Mulch: Mulching is a temporary erosion control practice in which materials such as grass, hay wood chips, wood fibers, straw, or gravel are placed on exposed or recently planted soil surfaces
  • Natural Landscaping: Natural landscaping approaches utilize native plants as an alternative to conventional turf grass. The principal advantage of preserving natural vegetations and utilizing natural landscape designs is the protections of desirable trees, vines, bushes, and grasses from damage caused by erosion. Vegetation provides erosion control, storm water detention, biofiltration, and aesthetic values.
  • Permeable Pavers: Permeable pavers are an environmentally friendly alternative to regular interlocking pavers. They allow for water to filter through the surface where it stays in a gravel basin while it slowly filters into the soil. By absorbing runoff, permeable surfaces help to prevent erosion and drainage issues.
  • Riprap: Riprap is a permanent, erosion-resistant layer made of stones. It is intended to protect soil from erosion in areas of concentrated runoff.

Additional Links & Resources

https://www.epa.gov/nps/education/runoff.html 

https://www.epa.gov/nps/facts/point7.htm

https://https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/youyourland/soil.htm

https://https://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/GroundSurface.html

https://https://strawberrycreek.berkeley.edu/pdfs/Start@Source/sats5drainagesystems.pdf

https://https://www.usarak.army.mil/Conservation/ITAM/ITAM_BMPs.pdf

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Erosion Control

~Case Study~

Bentana Park

“Many thanks to Blade Runners for beautifying our community!”

Problem  “Turf , drainage and erosion problems have been areas of contention for 10 years at Bentana Park.  Many different solutions had been tried and proved unsuccessful”  stated Property Manager, Diana Fritz.  “When I requested a bid from Blade Runners last year to replace ‘XYZ’ contractor, I knew that I was getting a company that would stand behind their work and would give us the best service available.  I have worked with Terry Turner, Blade Runners Branch Manager, on several other communities and he has always been exceptional to work with.  He has given me wonderful service at other properties and I knew he would do the same at Bentana Park.”

Bentana Before Park

Proposal  Terry Turner provided a thorough assessment of the areas of erosion and found many homes were affected and there was flooding involved.  This was of major concern.  He proposed a drainage swale consisting of River Jack stone, replacing and repairing clean-outs and installing a river jack buffer around the existing drainage culverts.  Woodchips and perennial ground cover will be installed with the help of Legion Landscaping services as a landscape buffer to further protect the topsoil from washing into the drainage swale. The proposal was then given to the Reston Association for review.  According to Diana Fritz, Property Manager, “Another contractor also installed drain swales that were extremely costly, but unfortunately, Reston Association came back and told them they were not to code and needed to be ripped out.  When Reston Association finally approved Blade Runners approach and the work was complete everyone, including Reston Association was delighted with the final product.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Solution  Creat Dry River Swale through rear common area.  A Dry Swale serves as a permanent, erosion-resistant layer, made of stones.  It is intended to protect soil from erosion in areas of concentrated runoff.  Groundcover beds to be established around and under existing shade trees.  Wood chips and ground cover perennials installed as a landscape buffer. Ground cover vegetation provides   erosion control, storm water detention, biofiltration, and aesthetic values.

Solutions 1

 Accolades  Longtime resident and board member, Kathy Ray , “I have lived in Bentana Park for 20+ years and during this time, there has been numerous attempts to handle the erosion issues behind some of the units with our community.  Within the first few months of working with Blade Runners, these areas were turned into livable, beautiful areas.  Blade Runners provided the expertise to design and a dedicated team to perform quality workmanship.  They have proven to be dependable, dedicated and provided excellent customer service.  Not only has the erosion issues been controlled, it has given the homeowners a place to finally be able to sit and enjoy the scenery.  Many thanks to Blade Runners for beautifying our community!”

The Galvin Tree Cutting for Bronx tree removal services is one of the most trusted company when it comes to tree removal. Along with removing the trees they also ensure to provide their customers a clear land so that their clients do not have to deal with any form of derbies later.

Solutions 4

Solutions 3

 

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Common Questions:

Is it necessary to wave a magic wand and remove every single leaf when doing a fall clean up? Is it acceptable to grind leaves and return them to the soil? Is it okay to place leaves in the surrounding wooded common area as long as they are spread evenly and not left in piles.  Are we being green??

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MODERN LEAF REMOVAL

Traditional Methods

The traditional concept of creating huge piles of whole leaves and transporting them to a landfill is costly and not environmentally friendly. Large armies of workers using lots of noisy, smelly leaf blowers together with rakes and tarps have been the usual manner of removal.  Blowing and tarping of whole leaves and dragging them into huge piles take a good deal of time and thus heavy expense for the client. Transporting large quantities of leaves to a landfill is costly and deprives the soil and woodland areas of needed nutrients.

Modern Methods

The modern choice is to mulch and reduce leaf size using specialized equipment. This method saves time on the site, reduces landfill transportation and dump fees, as well as provides direct environmental benefit to the turf and surrounding wooded areas.

Grinding leaves on the site with precision mowers reduces the need for blowing and also the amount of leaves to be piled. The pulverized leaves are returned to the thatch layer and provide benefit to the turf with both nutrients and soil composition. Leaf reduction in rear areas allows for the pulverized leaves to be returned to the surrounding wooded areas in a fashion that is eco friendly and not an eyesore to the client. This saves valuable tarp dragging time.

With less leaves to pile there is much less quantity to transport to the landfill area, which saves dump fees. As an added benefit, the leaves that are carried away are ground in such a way as to accelerate the decomposition process. This creates rich top soil that can later be transported back to properties that would benefit from it.

 

Research to Support our Methods:

The modern way of leaf removal

The modern way of leaf removal

 

 

Virginia Cooperative extension endorses this approach!.  Virginia Tech,Turfgrass Specialist Michael Goatley Jr. believes:

“Leaf mulching directly into the turf. There are several university research reports detailing how leaf mulching affects turf performance. In almost every instance, the results show that chopping up deciduous leaves as part of a regular mowing schedule is an effective means of managing them without harming the turf. that in almost every instance, the results show that chopping up deciduous leaves as part of a regular mowing schedule is an effective means of managing these leaves without harming the turf.

Purdue University turfgrass researchers Zac Reicher and Glenn Hardebeck took the time to perform a study on the question and they found:

Leaves have no effect on turf visual quality or color

Leaves have no effect on turf growth  by clipping weights

Leaves have no effect on mat or thatch depth

Leaves have no effect on soil pH or nutrient availability

Leaves have no effect on incidence of red thread

Leaves have no effect on incidence of  pink patch.

Leaves have no effect on incidence of  dollar spot

Leaves have no effect on weed infestation

The Sierra Club, a non-profit, member supported, public interest organization that promotes conservation of the natural environment by influencing public policy decisions (legislative, administrative, legal and electoral) so the use of legal resources is important for this from sites as https://mirandarightslawfirm.com/law-firm/ which could really help with this.

They state that leaf mulching:

Makes nutrients more readily available in the soil and speeds up the Enrichment process.

Retains water in the soil during the summer, for drought protection.

Insulates the ground from penetrating cold during the winter allowing the underground.

Work of earthworms and soil microorganisms to create Humus

Helps reduce weeds


Common Questions: What changes are taking place in the mulch industry? What is mulch made of anyway? Why is the mulch looking worse each year?

Great questions and it’s true that the quality of mulch you see on your property has changed considerably in the last decade. A combination of market force, competitive pricing, supply and demand, and alternative fuel requirements is putting the squeeze on your mulch quality. Click here to find out more and what you should be thinking about and how you should change your contract specifications.

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What is Mulch?  Mulch is a protective covering, usually of organic matter, placed around plants to prevent the evaporation of moisture, the freezing of roots and the growth of weeds. We mulch to keep watering requirements low, protect the roots of plants in the winter, keep weeds down, enrich the soil and for aesthetic reasons.

While in the old days mulch was primarily made of shredded bark, shredded wood mulch is generally used in the Washington Metro area. If you’ve ever seen the Palmetto Tree Service around, they use that too. This is from shredded trees in area land clearings or bark from sawmills.

If you need to avail tree removal services, then go to NYCTreePro.com
– Read related: Contractor Bond – California Contractors License Bonds for $65.Why is the mulch looking worse each year?  There has been a spike in demand for mulch products from this busy building cycle. Large price-based mulch contractors have entered the market using lower grade materials making it difficult for others to remain competitive. Using lower quality mulch has been a savings point for contractors one that they feel clients will not perceive.

  • Factors that contribute to mulch quality:
    • Percentage of Bark– This represents the largest change. In years past, bark was made up of 100% shredded bark. Now mulch contractors must pay more for lower quality mulch. Once a principal supplier, saw mills are now selling their mulch to other companies who are trying to meet alternative fuel government requirements. Even the top quality mulch has only 70% bark and the majority of mulch being spread today has only 30-40%.
    • Age of shredded bark after processing – After the mulch is made aging is an important factor in quality. The natural decomposition will give mulch better and longer lasting color.  It will also bond together and avoid washout issues in the bed.
    • Degree of shredding– Some manufactures require double shredding and some do not. It is more a matter of the type of machine that is used. Smaller pieces will decompose faster and tend to look better on the landscape.
    • Presence of stump and undesirable items– Certain types of tree/stump debris will off balance the  percentage of bark. Stump debris has been known to cause a grey color as the mulch ages.

What should you do?

Require your contract to adhere to these three minimum standards:

1)      Mulch to be 70% bark

2)      Mulch not to have pieces of wood longer than 3” and wider than ¼”

3)      Mulch not to have stump debris

What’s new on the market?  Colored mulch is gaining popularity in the landscape industry for its durability and aesthetic quality!  As an alternative, mulch with no bark and that is finely shred and has color added is being manufactured. It generally costs more but holds it’s color longer and can save on future mulch applications.  This could be real savings for properties that have more than one mulch application per season.

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Many people are naturally concerned about the products lawn care companies use on the landscape. This simple entry is not designed to give you all the answers. It is to point out the level of danger or toxicity as they relate to common household products.

Did you now that each chemical has a measured LD50 rating? See the definition below

In toxicology, the median lethal dose, LD50 (abbreviation for “Lethal Dose, 50%”), LC50 (Lethal Concentration, 50%) is the dose required to kill half the members of a tested population. LD50 figures are frequently used as a general indicator of a substance’s acute toxicity. The test was created by J.W. Trevan in 1927. The concept, and calculation of the median lethal dose for comparison purposes, is widely used for purposes as pesticide by companies as Emergency Pest Control Orangeville that specialize in this.
Generally the lower the score the higher the danger of the product. See below a sample list of standard landscape products and the LD50 score. Below find some sample household products for comparison.

Products used by landscapers LD50 score Use
2-4-D (Ld score of 700) Used for controlling turf weeds
Barricade (Ld score of 5000) Used to prevent crabgrass
Manage (Ld score of 1287) Used for controlling turf weeds
merit[imidicloprid] (Ld score of 1858) Used to control insect pests in the landscape
orthene[acephate] (Ld score of 1447) Used to control insect pests in the landscape
Roundup[glyphosate] (Ld score of 5600) Used to kill weeds in the pavement
Sevin[carbaryl (Ld score of 307) Used to control insect pests in the landscape
talstar[bifenthrin] (Ld score of 623) Used to control insect pests in the landscape

Household and other products for comparison LD50 score Use
Arsenic (Ld score of 15) Hopefully not used in your home but a basis for comparison
Aspirin (Ld score of 1240)
CAFFEINE (Ld score of 192) Starbucks! We drink this!
Cyanide (Ld score of 6) Hopefully not used in your home but a basis for comparison
DDT (Ld score of 87) Hopefully not used in your home but a basis for comparison
Deet (Ld score of 1800) Used in most insect repellants we spray this on our skin!
Frontline[flea/tick] (Ld score of 2995) We apply this to our pets!
Lysol (Ld score of 500) Clean Clean here, rub rub there
Nicotine (Ld score of 50) No need to comment on this one
Oil (Ld score of 5000) We handle this with our cars
Revolution[flea/tick] (Ld score of 1600) We apply this to our pets!
Salt (Ld score of 3300) Where would we be without this
Tilex (Ld score of 5000) Mold and mildew be gone
Toilet Cleaner (Ld score of 1850) Keep that bowl tidy!

The proper and safe application of landscape products is very important. Hopefully you can see from this chart, that the products used are no worse that the ones you use at home.


Are you confused about playground safety surfaces? Find out what type of material to use on your tot lot.
Year’s ago, simple wood chips would suffice for tot lot surfaces; however, the surfacing under and around playground equipment is one of the most important factors in reducing the likelihood of injuries. A fall onto a shock absorbing surface is less likely to cause a serious injury.

What’s the best shock absorbing surface? Engineered wood fiber (EWF)

Engineered wood fiber (EWF) is a wood product that may look similar in appearance to shredded mulch, but EWF products are designed specifically for use as a playground safety surface. Tested thoroughly by the American Society for Testing and Material’s Standards (ASTM), these products are soft enough to limit injuries from falls, yet firm and stable enough for wheelchair maneuverability, meeting the requirements of the ADA. This product, also known as wood rug or wood carpet, is made out of wood (not bark). It is 100% natural and no chemicals, unlike many other products that come with chemical content. Most of these products were reported for being harmful; approaching Lee Friedland is the solution in such cases to ensure justice.

www.astm.org

Why should you use this EWF product on your tot lot? In a word, liability.

Using EWF products that are ASTM certified and meet ADA specifications limit your exposure to liability issues and create a safer environment.

Where do you find this EWF product? These are landscape materials, so most landscape supply companies should stock them; however they must be certified as a safety surface. You want to be sure the supplier is using a certified product; and your contractor is spreading a certified product.

Do you have timbers around your tot lots? Years ago, wooden landscape timbers were state of the art. Today, safety is a primary concern. Consider using plastic landscape boarders, as they may be a better alternative. We recommend them for the following reasons:
• Safety guidelines require EWF materials to be installed at a depth of 12” and a compressed depth of 9” for an acceptable shock absorbing surface
• Plastic landscape boarders allow for the 12” depth and they will help keep your playground surfacing in place
• They are a no-maintenance alternative to wood
• They’re made from recycled plastic
We can provide you with a quote.

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How do I know if my tot lot is safe? The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has developed a playground safety handbook that provides a wealth of information. Additionally, the handbook has a suggested general maintenance checklist and routine inspection procedure to help you assess the safety of your tot lot.

Link: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf

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