Schnetz Landscape eNewsletter - June 2008

Summer Time!
by Nick Armitage

Summer is almost upon us and the weather is getting much warmer. Now is the time to check your irrigation scheduling to make sure your garden is receiving enough water for the hot summer months. Many plants will need feeding now that have finished flowering, such as Azaleas, Camellias and those that are pushing their flowers need feeding as well, such as Perennials and Roses. Make sure to hand water or run an extra irrigation cycle to newly planted material, especially on those really hot days.

June Gloom and Mold

During the month of June we can get the ‘June Gloom’, which is a layer of moisture brought in from the ocean. This can be a particular problem to some plants, such as Nandinas and Roses, because it contributes to the cause of a form of powdery mildew. This mildew is a white fungus that develops on the leaves of these plants. It can be a particular problem for those of you who are growing grapes. Sulphur dust can be used for prevention of this plant disease, but is not as effective as spraying with organic fungicide.

Summer Color

As summer heats up, so does the color. This is the time of year when gardens should be in full bloom. Now is the time to plant summer annuals such as marigolds, lobelia, petunias and more. It is also the time that ornamental grasses are at their best. At Schnetz Landscape we have a whole division dedicated to this kind of work. Have a look around your garden center to see which ones you like, or better still, call us for consultation on which ones would best suit your unique garden.

Enjoying Outdoor Living

Now is the time to spend more time with your garden, during the warm days and warm evenings. Wouldn’t it be great to get those last minute construction plans accomplished? Whether it is a new BBQ, fireplace, or firepit for use in the evening, we can help with design and construction. Maybe it’s some flagstone work to cover that old, tired, gray patio. We can help with all aspects of design of new and interesting hardscape. Call us and we will get to work immediately on creating that special place for your garden!

Greg Sacks - 5 Years with Schnetz

April 2008 was the 5th Anniversary for our Construction Manager Greg Sacks. Since childhood Greg has been a close family friend. We met Greg in junior high school and coincidentally we both followed the horticultural path in San Diego. We are very happy that we ended up working together!

Greg quickly improved the Schnetz team in April of 2003 with his many years of horticultural experience and his attention to details in design and construction. He has the ability to pull all of that together in order to create and execute a great landscape project!

Greg holds Billy Schnetz	Younger Versions of Greg Sacks and Bill Schnetz

We are truly fortunate to have Greg on our team.

-Bill & Lori Schnetz

All Content in the Schnetz eNewsletter and Website are Copyright © Materials.
Please do not reproduce without express permission from Schnetz Landscape, Inc.
All photography provided is from Schnetz Landscape Design-Build and Fine Gardening Projects

Schnetz Landscape eNewsletter - April 2008

Spring Rebirth!
by Bill Schnetz

Spring is in full force! Out of the ashes from the October fires, the positive effect on Spring is evident all around us. Even if you were not threatened by the flames the amount of ash that blanketed the county, along with the extra rain this winter, caused even more spring blooms in San Diego County than normal.

This treat is luring us out into our gardens earlier in the year than normal, making us more aware of our needed garden changes and chores.

This is the best opportunity and horticultural timing to prune and plant until next October. April and May are the best times to plant your vegetable garden, early summer annuals, perennials, succulents and palms. This is also a great time to prune winter flowering vines as they finish blooming, prune hibiscus, bougainvilleas, brugmansias and prune all other warm loving semi-tropical and tropical plants. Don’t forget to aerate your lawns and adjust your irrigation clocks and sprinklers for the upcoming warm weather.

Enjoying Outdoor Living
a reminder from Bill Schnetz

Come April and May you may start venturing to your outdoor living space to enjoy the warm evenings. Like your garden, your outdoor living space needs review in order to make it more enjoyable when you are lounging outside enjoying the longer days and warmer temperatures.

• Are your trees and screen shrubs blocking distant views?
• Do you have a need for a barbeque, fire pit, outdoor fireplace, spa or pool?
• Is your current BBQ, fire pit, outdoor fireplace, spa or pool in good working condition?
• Is your patio furniture in good condition or does it need repairs or replacing?
• Does your patio have good traffic flow or is it over cluttered with too many small pots and last years latest and greatest garden collectibles?

Open space and free movement makes your outdoor living space more enjoyable and easy to care for.

Summer blooming bulbs add surprise!!!

Now is the time to start planting summer blooming bulbs. Your local nursery has a large selection of summer blooming perennial bulbs. Many of the bulbs are native and drought tolerant and will come up year after year. The bulbs come in many colors. Brodiaeas come in shade of blues and purples. There are other kinds of bulbs like Ixia which come in cream, orange, yellow, red, pink. Dahlias and Gladiolus come in every color while Asiatic lilies come in oranges, yellows, corals, and pinks. Sport your bulbs in a sunny location in between some shrubs or groundcovers and the bulbs will give you a surprise when most plants aren’t blooming.

Summer annual and perennial color can also interest in a dull drab spot. As the weather changes different kinds of blooming plants also come into season. This is the time to change your color beds for the hotter drier months.

Bill Schnetz on BisTalk

Bill Schnetz, owner of Schnetz Landscape, was interviewed on KCEO Radio on BisTalk with Bob Ryan! BisTalk airs live on AM 1000 KCEO, Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and is focused on delivering useful financial and business information to their listeners.

In his 20 minute interview, Bill spoke about the cost of today’s gardens and how to plan around less available water for gardens. He also spoke about what new garden features people are asking for this year, such as eco friendly gardens and functional gardens. Thanks to the folks at AM 1000 in San Diego for this great opportunity!

All Content in the Schnetz eNewsletter and Website are Copyright © Materials.
Please do not reproduce without express permission from Schnetz Landscape, Inc.
All photography provided is from Schnetz Landscape Design-Build and Fine Gardening Projects

SCHNETZ EARLY SPRING eNEWSLETTER

Time to select beautiful blooming Camellias, Azaleas and Aloes
by Schnetz Team Member Mark VanMilligan

Azaleas, Camellias and Aloes are starting to bloom and now is the time for you to visit your local nursery and pick out your early Spring plants. By doing so, you can choose the color that best suits your taste and color palette.

There are many colors available, but most camellias and azaleas are shades of pink, white and red. The flowers can differ in size and fullness and some can even have a very flat appearance which are great to float in a bowl of water for a centerpiece. Azaleas and Camellias are low light (shade) tolerant plants. These bright colors can create a focal point in a dark corner and really create interest in your garden.

Aloes are high light, drought tolerant plants and are best suited for hot sunny areas. They flower in shades of orange, red and yellow. This time of year they are putting up long, stunning flower shoots.

Black foliage plants are the newest craze and add texture, color and perk up the garden with the unexpected. The black foliage when combined with lime green creates a nice contrast and provides interest without using flowers. Some black foliage varieties are black mondo grass, Impomea Batatas “blackie”, Aeonium “Zwartkop”, Colocasia “black magic” and many other varieties.

Give us a call if you need assistance choosing the best plants for your garden!

Save Water and Save Dollars
a reminder from Bill Schnetz

Since Southern California is finally getting some rain, be sure to watch the weather and check your irrigation timer. If it is raining, you can save water and money by temporarily disabling your irrigation timer. If you are unsure how to do this, please give us a call and ask for our irrigation department. Our team will be happy to assist you in operating your irrigation system to save you water and dollars!

Schnetz Customers in 3 Issues of San Diego Home and Garden!

We are proud to share that several of our clients’ homes and gardens have been featured in the last 3 issues of San Diego Home and Garden Magazine!

The February 2008 issue showcases a Schnetz customer on page 50. Congratulations to our customer for being the grand prize winner of the “29th Annual Home of the Year“! Pick up a copy from your local grocery store or order online at www.sdhg.org!

You can find another one of our customers in the December 2007 issue on page 35 in the “On Top of Their World” article. In the January 2008 issue, you can find yet another one of our customers on page 50 in the “Serial Boxes” article. Thanks to all of our customers for participating with San Diego Home and Garden Magazine to showcase their great landscapes!

Schnetz 2007 Year End Awards Holiday Party

Employee of The Year: Victor Solis

Victor Solis has been working for Schnetz Landscape for four years. Victor is always helpful to our customers, dedicated and dependable in the field and is always willing to learn new skills. He works in Construction he’s a very skilled lighting, irrigation, drainage, and landscape technician. The office staff always enjoys talking to Victor when he visits. Congratulations on a great year at Schnetz Landscape, Victor!

Bill Schnetz and Victor Solis (Employee of the Year!)

Employee of The Month: Marcos Alonzo

Marcos Alonzo is an equipment operator at Schnetz and is one of the most seasoned members of our team. He has been with us for a total of 15 years! His dedication to Schnetz, safety record and excellent skills are the reasons why we decided to pick Marcos as the Employee of the Month for December 2007. Congratulations Marcos!

Bill Schnetz, Marcos Alonzo(Employee of the Month!), & Nick Armitage

New eNewsletter! Sign up Today:

The Schnetz Landscape Newsletter has gone digital! In an ongoing effort to make communication between us and you more efficient we will also be transferring our newsletter from regular mail to e-mail. If you are receiving this newsletter by e-mail, you have already been signed up! If you are receiving this newsletter by regular mail, be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter at:

www.schnetzlandscape.com/newsletter/

We will only be distributing regular mail newsletters until early 2008, so be sure to signup for our eNewsletter today to continue receiving updates and useful landscaping information from Schnetz Landscape! You can opt-out at any time, so you never have to worry about us spamming you.

All Content in the Schnetz eNewsletter and Website are Copyright © Materials.
Please do not reproduce without express permission from Schnetz Landscape, Inc.

SCHNETZ WISHES YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON

December 1st , 2007 - Winter Water Conservation

Since the weather is cooling, think water conservation. It is the time of year when the air temperature drops and water requirements are considerably reduced. Soil temperatures are lower as well and therefore will retain moisture from irrigation, dew and rain fall. Cut back the watering time on irrigation controllers and water fewer times per week. In many instances, it is best to simply set irrigation controllers in the rain/off mode until the soil warms up and begins to dry out. There is no reason to water your garden when it is already saturated, the water will simply run off because it can not be absorbed into the soil. If you see water running across paved areas and down street gutters into storm drains, you are over watering! With the inevitable drought conditions which we are facing, we can all do our part to conserve water and this is the time of year where a little effort goes a long way.

As there are always exceptions to every rule, the exception to this rule would be for your large trees that are not in lawn areas. Due to the low amounts of rainwater we have in san diego you may want to purchase a soaker hose (usually made from recycled truck tires) and deep soak your large trees (not in lawn areas) at a low trickle for 4-8 hours at a time, one time a month. Never water to the point of seeing run-off, the goal is to water to a depth of 12� allowing your trees to be healthier in the spring!

If you are on our maintenance schedule, we will be checking the following items. If you are not on a maintenance schedule with us, we suggest you check these items as well:

• We will check your rain gutters, downspouts and yard drains and make sure they are clean and in working condition.

• We will walk the perimeter of your home and be sure your soil and or mulch levels are not too high against your foundation. The standard is 4″ to 6″ below your stucco screed.

• We will check to see if your large trees need a proper pruning to allow the winds to blow through them in order to prevent damage.

If you need help assessing your irrigation systems efficiency, give us a call to set up a consultation.

Schnetz Landscape Celebrates Employee’s Citizenship

Nick is from England and has been with Schnetz Landscape for 10 years. Not only has Nick been with us for a decade, he has also just recently become a U.S. citizen! Nick is a very important part of our team. He is caring, creative, a great employee and we are proud of his success.

We threw Nick a pizza party as a celebration of his successes. Pictured above is Nick and his guests who all made pizza from scratch in Bill and Lori Schnetz’ Home. We all had a great time and look forward to many more years with Nick on our team!

We would love to hear back from you!

Let us know how your landscaping project is going!

What do you think about our new newsletter?

What do you want to hear in 2008?

Contact us! Also, be sure to check out our newsletter archives for past editions of this eNewsletter!

Again, happy holidays from all of us at Schnetz Landscape and the best to those still recovering from our San Diego Fires!

All Content in the Schnetz eNewsletter and Website are Copyright © Materials.
Please do not reproduce without express permission from Schnetz Landscape, Inc.

October 24, 2007 - San Diego Fires

During this unfortunate fire disaster in San Diego County first and foremost you hope you and your families are out of harms way and doing well.

Bill, Billy and I are currently evacuated from our homes, to date our homes are fine.

Schnetz Landscape has been closed, we do plan to be in the office tomorrow morning. We are not sure if our crews will be out in the field or not, we are taking that a day at a time due to air quality and accessibility.

Please feel free to call if we can answer any questions you may have or any assistance you may need.

ALL OUR BEST,

Bill, Billy and Lori Schnetz and everyone at Schnetz Landscape

New Website and eNewsletter!

Schnetz Landscape is proud to present its brand new website! We have launched our new website at schnetzlandscape.com You can view our updated portfolio, Bill Schnetz’s speaking events and more!

The Schnetz Landscape Newsletter has gone digital! In an ongoing effort to make communication between us and you more efficient we will also be transferring our newsletter from regular mail to e-mail. If you are receiving this newsletter by e-mail, you have already been signed up! If you are receiving this newsletter by regular mail, be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter at:

www.schnetzlandscape.com/newsletter/

We will only be distributing regular mail newsletters until the end of 2007, so be sure to signup for our eNewsletter today to continue receiving updates and useful landscaping information from Schnetz Landscape! You can opt-out at any time, so you never have to worry about us spamming you.

Get Ready for the Holidays with Billy Schnetz

We would like to acquaint you with one of our team members: Billy Schnetz. Previously Billy was a project manager for Construction and he is now taking charge of our Fine Gardening Division. The holidays will soon be upon us and Billy would be happy to help you get ready. From poinsettias to special decorations Billy can help you coordinate all of your seasonal gardening needs.

Contact Billy directly via e-mail: Billy@SchnetzLandscape.com or leave him a message at the office: (760) 591-3453. He’ll get back to you as soon as possible to help you get ready for the holidays! It’s also bulb planting season! If you love to have bulbs that come up in Winter and Spring now is the time to have Billy help you decide on which bulbs to plant now.

p.s. It’s fire season again and there are a number of plants that should be avoided in high-risk areas because they are so flammable. Plants that are resistant to catching and spreading fire are not fire-proof, but can minimize the chance of spreading wildfires. Contact Billy to see if your garden is ready for fire season. He can help make sure that your property is safe.

Bill Schnetz Speaks at the Save IT For ME TV Premier

On September 26th Bill Schnetz spoke at the Save IT for ME TV Premier event in Del Mar. This event was for the premier of Save IT for ME, a documentary geared towards 4-6th graders to inspire them to take steps to save the earth’s natural resources. Bill spoke on how you can help the environment with 10 great gardening ideas to reduce the use of energy, chemicals and water. Notes from this speaking event and more information on the documentary can be found on Bill’s Speaking Events page on our new website.

In October “Save IT for ME” will be available on all county cable television networks (check local listings for channel updates) and can be viewed on live streaming video at www.delmartv.com.

We Want to Hear From You

We would love to hear from you! Let us know how your landscaping project is going, what you think about our website or just say hi. Contact us today!