Orient Point Bluff Restoration

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This property on eastern Long Island, situated on the North Fork on a bluff, sustained serious damage from Superstorm Sandy last fall. The neighbors all have boulders at the base of their bluffs but this property was purchased without boulders, causing the Long Island Sound to wash out the base of the bluff during Sandy. This caused severe erosion from top to bottom washing away soil and plantings. The client hired a contractor to install boulders and plant the bluff with erosion control after the storm. All of the plants and erosion control failed during this past spring due to thunderstorms and the bluff was in bad shape again.

See our gallery with pictures chronicling the reconstruction.

After having a second contractor try to remediate the bluff (with very poor results), the clients contacted us to consult on the situation. Our solution included filling the bluff with topsoil and sandy compost and then installing two layers of heavily pinned, crisscrossed and overlapped jute matting. Finally, a palette of hardy, native seaside plants including bayberry, beach plum, beach rose, goldenrod and beach artemisia were planted through the double layer of jute matting. The keystone of the erosion control was planting over 5000 plugs of American beach grass. The roots and foliage from all of these plants, once established, will help stabilize the bluff while providing a native and natural seashore aesthetic. 

The project needed to be completed in a tight time frame to stabilize the bluff. Unfortunately, this meant our crews were installing these plants in the early summer during a heat wave where temperatures reached 100 degrees. Temporary irrigation was set up to help the plants get established and it will be removed after one or two growing seasons.

At the top of the bluff, the lawn area was re-graded to control the flow of water over the bluff and sod was installed to restore the more manicured backyard feeling that had existed prior to Sandy. This vital hurricane remediation project lets the client use their backyard again to entertain and relax while enjoying the breathtaking view that a property on the bluff presents.

Helping You and Your Plants Beat the Heat

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Anyone who’s ventured outside the past few weeks knows how hot it’s been. The temperature has hovered somewhere between a sauna and the surface of the sun. We have some tips for you to take care of your plants and yourself in hot weather.

For your plants: Water them. Water them deeply and at the cooler times of the day so the water doesn’t evaporate before it can infiltrate the soil. It sounds obvious, but don’t wait until you see that they’re stressed from the heat. In some cases, it may be too late. Hydrangeas are drama queens, so their leaves will droop at the mention of hot weather, but they’ll perk right back up after watering. Don’t spray water on the foliage. Like a magnifying glass, the water droplets amplify the sunlight and can burn the leaves of your plants. Keeping a layer of mulch in the beds will help to insulate the soil and retain moisture. Remember to keep the root flares uncovered! For your lawn, watch out for fungus in this heat. Keep your lawnmower blades sharp and cut the grass high, around 3″ tall. The taller grass will keep the soil cooler and deter weeds and the sharp blades will minimize damage to the blades of grass. Also, do not spray for weeds in the heat, you’ll burn your lawn.

For yourself: Drink water. Drink A LOT of water. Once you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Stay away from soda, caffeine, alcoholic beverages and sugary juices. Wear light colored and lightweight clothing, sunscreen and bug spray. If your yard has trees, try to position yourself in the shade and move with it during the day. The earlier in the day, the better, but earlier and later in the day can mean mosquitoes as well as cooler temperatures. Mosquitoes love sweaty people and humid air, and if you’re susceptible to bites it doesn’t really matter what time of the day you’re out. Remember to get rid of standing water in your yard to keep breeding down.

If you’re concerned about your plants and/or lawn, call us at (631) 271-6460 or email us and we’ll come over and check them out for you.

Summer Annuals: Old & New

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Impatiens, lantana, elephant ears, petunias and other annuals are found in summer gardens year after year. The blight on impatiens has taken the number one landscape annual out of commission. Dragon Wing begonias are a great shade alternative. They flower profusely and look great in a bed or a container and provide a unique texture in the landscape.

Coleus has some of the most beautiful foliage I’ve ever seen, is shade loving and there is a variety called ‘Wasabi’ that can take full sun with sufficient irrigation. ‘Wasabi’ is a bright lime green and makes a wonderful accent planting for both containers and beds. There is a plentiful selection of coleus varieties, with different colors and forms to choose from.

Caladium is another showy foliage plant for shade and makes a statement as a centerpiece in a pot or as a mass in a bed. Bright annuals can make a shady area seem sunnier with contrasting colors.

The classics never go out of style but why not make a bold statement in your summer garden with some unique flowering succulents? For sunny areas, cacti and succulents are an easy way to make planters and the landscape pop. These plants come in a wide range of foliage and flower colors and offer a distinctive show that we rarely see up north.

Agave, Sedum ‘Vera Jameson’ & Scaevola in SeptemberPrickly Pear Cacti are winter hardy on Long Island. Warning: Be careful of their tiny spines. Sticky tape can help remove them from your skin. There is a thornless variety but it may not overwinter as well.

For the past few years, we’ve tried a few ideas out at our garden center – including mixed pots of succulents. Not only do they have showy foliage and flowers, but they require very little water, making them a more sustainable and lower maintenance option in the heat of summer. Agave ‘Americana’ and Croton ‘Petra’ make an eye-catching centerpiece while purple ice plant and Scaevola ‘New Wonder’ trail over the sides and bloom non-stop through the summer until fall.

Many of the succulents we use in green roof and wall installations double as perennials and groundcovers in the garden. Sedum ‘Vera Jameson,’ Sedum ‘Dragon’s Blood,’ and Sedum spurium (many varieties) are just a few succulents that perform well in the landscape. Sedum ‘Vera Jameson’ blooms in late summer/early fall and gives us one last hurrah in the garden before the cold weather sets in.

Want some advice on annuals for your garden? Contact Ashley at Goldberg & Rodler.

Storm & Winter Damage

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Strong winds during last year’s Hurricane Sandy cause a lot of damage to trees and shrubs in the landscape by uprooting them and breaking limbs. That damage was immediately obvious.

What you may have attributed to winter burn may be burned foliage from wind and saltwater damage. Damage that you can’t see underground from excessive saltwater infiltration will show as a stressed or failing plant. The effects of this storm will continue to damage plants for some time but there are a few ways to mitigate the damage to your landscape such as irrigating a few inches per week in early spring to flush out salt in the soil, fertilizing with an organic, salt-free fertilizer to promote new leaf growth and proper pruning to ensure the structural integrity of the plant.

Not sure why your plants are stressed or are you suspicious of residual hurricane and harsh winter damage? A certified arborist can detect issues not visible to the untrained eye such as weakened limbs, injured root systems and salt damage. Decrease the chance of damage during the next major weather event. Call Gary Carbocci, an ISA Certified Arborist (NY0151A), at (631) 271-6460 at Goldberg & Rodler’s Tree Care Long Island division and assess your landscape today.

 

Spring Start Up & Cleanup

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Fast forward to three months from now. Maybe you’re sipping a margarita by a pool, possibly in your own backyard, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and – Wait a minute, how can that happen if you don’t start now? It’s warming up and boy is there a lot to do in the garden, but you can’t do anything without cleaning up first. There’s vegetable gardens to plan, pools to open, patios to design, furniture to get out of storage, powerwashing, fertilization and pruning to be done.

Where to start?

Think of spring as the time to take inventory of your outside spaces. If you’re unsure how to go about it, take advantage of our Free Property Analysis. We will professionally assess your property to determine if any damage has occurred over the winter, such as salt and wind burn. We can evaluate and determine if your turf needs remediation or if your plants need fertilization. What about pruning? Our certified arborists can study the health of your trees and shrubs and make recommendations. Maybe your trees were damaged in Hurricane Sandy or from all the heavy snow we had this winter. Proper pruning can help reduce the risk of damage next time we have a major storm event.

Goldberg & Rodler offers many garden care and landscape maintenance services to take care of your property throughout the growing season. We’re here to answer any questions you may have. Don’t delay getting outdoors, that nice weather is just around the corner, and don’t we all want to be relaxing by the pool in our beautiful backyard gardens?

Spring is Almost Here!

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I had a bad dream last night. I dreamt that I had to put on a wedding in my backyard and it needed massive pruning. I woke up and my hand was sore from clenching dream pruners! I think this is my subconscious reminding me that it’s time to get out and cleanup the garden! Now is the time to cut back any remaining perennials and grasses such as liriope and carex. However, acorus only needs a good combing with a leaf rake.

Spring also means time to apply a pre-emergent to your lawn to prevent broadleaf weeds like crab grass or dandelions. This must be done before the forsythia finish blooming. Our expert arborist, Gary Carbocci, says to lime your lawn to raise the pH as our soil on Long Island is very acidic. Also see our article on how to use vinegar as an organic herbicide.

It’s also the best time to weed! Get those garden nuisances before they get established and add a fresh layer of mulch to beds, remembering to keep the root flare clear (see Mulch Volcano article here). Prune damaged branches on trees and shrubs. Trim yellow leaves on broadleaf evergreens. Any other pruning should wait until after the plant flowers so the buds aren’t removed.

Wow, looks like I have a lot to do, but it will all be worth it once I can see my bulbs popping up. Bulbs are my spring alarm clock and I can’t wait for it to ring.

Winter Interest

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During winter, the garden takes on a different character with the play of light and shadow. It is also a time when the unique features of certain plants are highlighted. Witch-hazel, to the left, is a small tree that blooms in February. It’s a wonderful native specimen to showcase during a time when there are few things in flower. Camellias also flower during the winter, but be careful to protect their broad evergreen leaves with an anti-transpirant to reduce wind burn. These do best in a more sheltered area such as behind a windbreak or near a building.

In addition to flowers, there are countless
varieties of trees and shrubs with interesting forms, bark, berries, cones and evergreen color to animate the winter landscape. Berries provide food for birds during the winter as well as color for your garden. A mature Japanese Dogwood or Crape Myrtle (at right) both have multicolored, exfoliating bark that stand out in any landscape. The reddish color of the Crape Myrtle’s bark is a striking contrast in a winter landscape. A Montgomery Spruce has beautiful blue needles all year (shown in bottom picture with the granite wall).

Grasses, whether evergreen or perennial, can give you good groundcover all year long. Green liriope doesn’t get a haircut until Mid-March. Acorus only needs a light raking. Dwarf fountain grass plumes usually last though early winter if there hasn’t been a heavy snowfall. Grasses like this should be cut down as soon as they start looking messy, but don’t cut them down based on color. The brown plumes add a feathery, light look to your landscape and contrast well with blue skies and white snow.

Hardscape elements, such as paving, boulders and walls, stand out. Structural elements such as sculptures, pergolas and gazebos enliven an outdoor space all year but in winter they can take center stage. A patio heater or fire pit can make an outdoor space usable on mild winter days. Warm drinks like cocoa, tea and coffee can extend your stay outdoors but remember to dress warmly and to extinguish the fire before returning inside. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. An arboretum like Planting Fields in Oyster Bay is a great place to explore year round and there aren’t as many people in the winter so you can relax more and take your time to enjoy everything. They have numerous trails through the woods on the grounds but they also have greenhouses to explore if it is too nippy outside.

Exterior lighting schemes can highlight unique landscape elements like the Westchester granite wall to the right. The light picks up the bits of mica in the stone and makes it glitter. During the summer, plants might cover most of this wall, but in the winter when the perennials die back it has a chance to shine. Winter is a time to showcase textures and elements not seen in the summer months when brilliantly colored flowers take center stage.

 

After Hurricane Sandy

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This was my first really bad hurricane. We’re still without power, both at my home and the office. We have generators running at the office in Huntington to power our phones and computers so we can serve our customers. We’re mobile throughout Long Island working on tree estimates. The damage I’ve seen is extensive. There are trees on houses, on cars, and in pools. Unsecured outdoor furniture was thrown through windows. The fires that raged through Breezy Point made it look like a war zone. Though most of us are still without power and a few of us have downed trees, everyone at Goldberg & Rodler, Inc. is safe and our homes are mostly intact. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Now the cleanup begins. New Yorkers are a resilient bunch of people. We’ve been through the ringer more times than I can count. We always rally and come back stronger than ever. What makes us great is our ability to survive and thrive when life takes an unexpected detour into chaos. People with power are sharing their hot water and electric. They are car pooling with strangers into Manhattan because of the destruction to our transportation infrastructure. This is what I love about my fellow New Yorkers.

If you have downed trees, call us at (631) 271-6460 or (516) 692-8549. You can also email us at customerrelations@goldbergandrodler.net. We will come out as soon as possible to assess the damage. We have the certified arborists, equipment and skills to perform the most delicate removals. A tree on your neighbor’s house? A tree leaning on another tree? If the tree and/or debris is on or next to power lines, you MUST call LIPA first at 800-490-0075. DO NOT try to move any wires or cables. Please assume all wires are live. Your safety is paramount to us. LIPA must remove the debris before we or any other tree company can work in that area.

Be safe, be smart, stay warm. We’ll get through this.

Just A Few More Things About Fall

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As the weather turns chilly you might think it’s time to give up on the garden. Not so! There are many things left to do before bunkering down for the winter. Plants, furniture and utilities need special care.

Protect your broadleaf evergreens such as rhododendron, cherry laurel, andromeda and others. Some anti-desiccant/anti-transpirant applications can be made by yourself, liquid kelp is a popular homeowner’s application, though one feature of our Plant Healthcare Program is an anti-transpirant application in the late fall. This application helps lock in moisture for the winter and decreases the likelihood of wind and frost damage.

Another idea to consider for your landscape is a deep root fertilization for your trees, which can be applied in the fall or even in the spring. This fertilization gives your trees the help they need to get through the winter and come out swinging when the temperatures warm up.

Plants aren’t the only item in your landscape to protect. Winter can do a number on your outdoor furniture. Secure it in a safe place, such as a garage or shed, or have a professional shrink wrap it for you. Even your boat can be shrink wrapped.

Remember to have a professional blow out irrigation and pool lines to prevent damage from water freezing and thawing in the lines throughout the season. Drain and cover any fountains. Talk to a professional for pond care and winterization if you have animals in the pond. Hungry birds and raccoons can make a meal out of unsuspecting koi and goldfish when the weather turns nasty.

Fall & Winter Services

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Sign up now for our Fall/Winter Services. If you haven’t given a thought to protecting your broadleaf evergreens yet, it isn’t too late! An anti-desiccant spray can reduce water loss through the leaves during a time when your plants can’t take in water from the frozen ground. Reapply in mid-winter.

Make sure your gutters are clear. During a heavy snowfall, ice dams can form and water may back up under the flashing behind the gutters. This can cause leaks and if not treated, mold growth.

Road salt can damage your plants. You won’t see the damage until Spring when it is too late. Make sure to pile contaminated snow away from your plants. Try calcium chloride; a less harmful chemical to melt the ice. Calcium is a nutrient plants can tolerate but still minimize the amount you put down.

2-3” of shredded bark or compost at the bases of trees and shrubs can insulate shallow roots and conserve moisture before the soil freezes. 

Make sure the flue is clear in your chimney so you can snuggle by the fire all winter.

Did you wrap up or store your furniture? We offer shrink wrapping for outdoor furniture, barbecues, pots and even boats.

Who’s doing your holiday decorations and/or lighting? Sick of getting up on that ladder every year? Let us do it for you while you stay inside with a cup of hot cocoa.

 

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