Who is Grant’s Gardens?

Based in Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

We provide landscape services to the greater Sarasota area design, build, maintenance, low-voltage lighting and irrigation.

We employ:

Horticulturists & Landscape Designers

Certified Arborists Certified Irrigation

Contractors Certified Pest Control

Operators FNGLA Certified

Horticulture Professionals

Certified BMP Professionals

What is a Full Service Landscape Company?

We provide:

Design Services

Installation Irrigation Softscapes & Hardscapes Lighting Water-Features (pools & ponds) Insect Misting Systems

Maintenance Irrigation & Lighting General Turf, Trees & Shrubs Pest-Control & Fertilization Arboricultural Soil Conditioners

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Definition:

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment. (From EPA’s website)

How IPM Works

This is not a single pest control method, but a series of pest management evaluations, decisions and controls.

Four Steps:

Step 1: Set Action Thresholds Step 2: Monitor & Identify Pests

Step 3: Prevention Step 4: Control

Plant Health Care

I.S.A. Certified Arborist

Definition: The Plant Health Care approach focuses primarily on preventative measures - those that encourage plant vigor and maintain healthy, balanced growth. Plant vitality is the best protection against pest problems. The basic components of Plant Health Care are: Plant Selection, Planting and Maintenance.

Three Componentsof Plant Health are:

Plant Selection: Right Plant / Right Placement

Planting Soil pH Bed Preparation Planting Pit (width / depth) Backfill Staking / Guying Mulching

Maintenance Plant Inventory / Map of Property Soil pH Monitoring Pruning / Mowing / Mulch Pest Management (IPM) Chemicals (Soaps & Oils)

Best Management Practices forProtection of Water Resources in Fla.

Properly managed turf grass & landscapes do not significantly contribute to nonpoint source pollution.

Pollution occurs when less-than adequate management techniques are used.

Developing low-risk irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticide programs, and ensuring that these programs are administered and periodically reviewed, reduces the possibility of nutrient movement off-site.

Whenever possible, professionals should educate their clients on landscape Best Management Practices (BMPs) that encourage water conservation and pollution prevention.

Sarasota’s Fertilizerand BMP Ordinance

No chemical fertilizers from June 1 to Sept. 30. In addition to limiting the amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen that can be applied per year, the ordinance recommends the use of fertilizers which contain at least 50 percent slow-release nitrogen.

Companies and residents in violation of the fertilizer rules will face penalties that start with a warning notice and increase to a $500 fine for a third offense.

Fertilizer Free Zones: No fertilizer within 10’ of ponds, stream, water course, lake, canal, or designated wetland and creates a voluntary "low maintenance zone" within six feet of water bodies.

It requires fertilizer application companies to create a training course.

Sarasota County's fertilizer measure will go into effect in February 2008.

Grant’s Gardens BMP Lawn &Ornamental Maintenance Program

Lawn / Turf Management

Turf managers face a growing challenge: Keeping fertilizer nutrients in the soil and prevent leaching.

Florikan Professional Landscape Fertilizers and other controlled release fertilizers can help meet this challenge!

The Florikan Fertilizer Prill

Wrapped in a dependable special resin coating that ensures success in Florida’s high heat humidity and rainfall.

Allows nutrients to become available at about the same rate they are needed by turf and plants, before leaching occurs. Other synthetic fertilizers leach because they dissolve easily and release nutrients faster than plants use them.

Ensures nutrients are released evenly and consistently over a 6 month or 12 month period.

Florikan fertilizers provide a sustainable approach to fertilizing, mimicking the slow release characters of organic fertilizers.

Improvements in plant color, growth, and health are long lasting.

In sandy soil, Florikan fertilizers can improve nutrient and water holding capacity, thereby reducing the need for excess watering.

Soil Conditioners

Gypsum, wetting agents & sometimes elemental Sulfur is added to soil in order to improve turf and plant growth and health. Gypsum releases nutrients and improves soil structure. Improving soil structure, improves soil quality by loosening compacted soils to promote deep rooting and allow better penetration of water and nutrients.

Plant & Palm Management

Grant’s Gardens does not just focus on pests and diseases - Basic cultural problems afflicting plants are considered.

Half of all sick plants result from cultural and environmental factors such as over watering, drought, planted too deep, poor drainage, stress, or winter damage.

A Holistic Approach

Steps to a Holistic Approach

Step 1 List all plants on a property. Typically there are key plants that are problem-prone and likely to require monitoring.

Step 2 Determine key problems on a property.

Biotic (living organisms such as insects, fungi, slugs, deer, rabbits, nematodes, etc).

Abiotic (non-living factors such as weather, fertility, irrigation, etc) are problems that need to be identified and solutions recommended by our Horticulturalists.

Key problems are the ones most likely to impact plant health and require attention.

A Holistic Approach (cont.)

Steps to a Holistic Approach

Step 3 Study the landscape ecosystem.

Landscapes have complex interrelationships among flora, fauna, soil, weather, and other factors.

Minimum temperatures, the amount of sun received by various parts of your property, prevailing winds, and seasonal patterns of precipitation.

Understanding soils and drainage patterns.

This information is essential, because healthy landscapes are a result from carefully matching plants to the habitats in your yard.

Reporting

Evaluate soil and perform a soil analysis.

Evaluate turf and specimen plants and perform tissue analysis.

Evaluate primary water source for irrigation system.  If well water is the primary source of water, an analysis is required in order to determine water quality and whether there might be salt intrusion in the well.

Evaluate irrigation system in order to determine coverage patterns, and whether irrigation zones are over or under watering.

Identify all of the important plants on the property.  A plant inventory report will be generated.

Landscapes are Dynamic

A key to any sustainable landscape program is frequent monitoring, at least every two - three weeks during the growing season and perhaps once a month during the winter. When monitoring, we pay particular attention to signs of plant stress (yellow or wilted leaves, dead twigs, etc.), and be on the lookout for developing pest problems.

A healthy plant, planted correctly in the right location, is more likely to remain healthy, being less susceptible to attack by disease or insects. Selecting a plant is much more than choosing one that fits our hardiness zone.  It means selecting plants that we can maintain well. And it means selecting plants, when possible, with inherent disease resistance, insect resistance, and ability to withstand other stresses that may be present.

Specific Fertilizer / PlantEnhancement Program

Once all reports have been obtained a specific fertilizer/plant enhancement program will be formulated for your specific property.  The turf and plant program specified for your yard will contain one or all of the following services.

Grant’s Mahogany Blend Mulch: This landscape mulch has been specifically formulated. Works back into the planting medium and acts as an organic

fertilizer to enhance base soil conditions. Grant’s Blend features mulch processed from the “melaleuca”

trees and incorporates this wood as a method of protecting our unique Florida habitat and contributing to an environmentally sensible solution within Grant’s Gardens installation and maintenance procedures.

Controlled release turf fertilizers, one application every six months.

Specific Fertilizer / PlantEnhancement Program (cont.)

Controlled release plant/palm fertilizers, one application every twelve months.

Controlled release Magnesium (Mg) fertilizers for turf and palms, in situations where no nitrogen and/or phosphorous is required.

Application of soil conditioners (gypsum and/or /wetting agents and/or /elemental sulfur) to turf areas.

Landscape pest control, using horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps.

Irrigation monitoring and maintenance.  Ensure that rain sensors are operational and irrigation time clocks are set correctly.

Other Services We Provide

Pruning and trimming of: Trees Palms Shrubs & groundcovers.

Vine trellising and training.

Other turf management services Mowing & edging.

Other forms of landscape pest control and fertilization.

Tree and palm root feeding, using the most up to date soil injection technology.

Seasonal color installation and maintenance.

Containers, vessels, urns and pot maintenance.

Thank you for your attention.

I look forward to our next adventure!