Greetings 

Prepare for El Nino!

If El Nino predictions are correct, this winter could be the answer to the drought. However, while there is a chance precipitation will be only moderate, there is also the possibility of powerful, flooding rainstorms that can quickly create trouble for some of us. It's time to get prepared as this can be the best hedge against an unpredictable season.

Oakridge Landscape, Inc. - Erosion Control provides a full suite of erosion control, BMP maintenance, silt management, hydroseeding and 24/7 storm response services. Our mission is to provide our clients clean, responsible and compliant sites in the most cost effective manner possible.

COMPREHENSVE EROSION CONTROL SERVICE MANAGEMENT

Oakridge Landscape, Inc. Erosion Control provides talented, experienced management and crews to every client, to insure the safety and compliance of every site, with proper resources, materials, and equipment for Developers, General Contractors, Homebuilders and Public Agencies.

About Roses

When and Why to Prune
A good starting point for pruning any plant is to remove dead, diseased, or damaged stems as soon as you see them. Dead stems attract insects and invite diseases to develop.

Also remove crossing branches, water sprouts (vigorous upright growing shoots that form on trunks or side branches), and suckers (vigorous shoots that develop near or from below ground).

Pruning Tools
There is an assortment of hand pruners, bypass pruners, loppers and sheers on the market these days, all with their own attributes. In all cases, the maintenance of good quality tools is important, as is using the right sized tool for the job.

If in doubt as to which tool to use, please ask your garden center staff for guidance.

Roses
Treat climbers and old garden roses that bloom only once per year the same as other spring-blooming shrubs: Pruning after they finish blooming.

Repeat bloomers, including hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniatures, and modern shrub roses are pruned mostly to shape the plant or to remove winter-damaged canes. If they become overgrown, cut them back in early spring.

Roses

How to Care For Cut Roses

Keep Roses out of direct sunlight. Allow only indirect or filtered light.
Keep Roses out of drafts from cooling and heating systems, this can shock them.
Heat, above 78 degrees, will cause rose to drink rapidly and open up fast.
High heat, above 85 degrees, can cause roses to drop causing wilted outer petals.
Exercise caution when transporting Roses from the office to home it's difficult.
Do not lock them in your hot car while you shop on the way home.

When You Get the Roses Indoor.

Step 1: Re-cut the stems. Use a sharp knife and cut at a 45-degree angle, so there will be maximum surface area for the stems to drink water through. Some florists' advice re-cutting the stems underwater. Try this technique, or buy an inexpensive gadget, called an "underwater stem cutter". This is a jar with a lid that has a hole to insert the stem into for slicing, and a sharp cutting knife.

STEP 2: To improve the vase life of cut roses and to keep the roses fresh longer, immerse their stems in warm water immediately after cutting.

STEP 3: Strip off any leaves that would otherwise be immersed in the vase water.

STEP 4: Put the re-cut stems back into a bucket or jar of water as you go. Let them stand for several hours or overnight, so that they can draw up plenty of water.

STEP 5: Add a packet of flower preservative. To increase the life of your cut roses, fill the vase with a solution of one-half can of lemon lime soda and one half water. A few drops of bleach will help keep the water clear and fresh.

STEP 6: Change the water-soda solution daily. Don't display the bouquet in a hot room or in direct sunlight.

STEP 7: Make a habit of moving the flower vases to a cooler spot, even the refrigerator, each night to keep roses fresh as long as possible.