Category Archives: Landscaping

Announcements, Landscaping

Notice of Spring Pruning

Ruppert Landscape will be pruning in WSG from Wednesday, May 24 to Wednesday, May 31, on a Close-by-Close basis, weather permitting.  This includes bushes, shrubs, and small trees on both personal property and in Common Areas, especially around parking areas.

Plastic bags with colored marking tape will be distributed to each Close and placed on a bench in your Common or with one of your neighbors.  Please check the bench or with your neighbors to obtain the tape.  It is important that you use the tape to identify any plants that are on your private property that you DO NOT want Ruppert to prune.  Anything not marked will be pruned.

Once Ruppert has finished in your Close, please remove the tape from your plants and leave any unused tape on the bench in your Close for pickup.

NOTE:  Per Ruppert’s contract, the crew will not prune beyond the HVAC system or behind residences.  The crew has been similarly instructed not to go beyond these points.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation,
David L. Piet, Landscape Chair

Announcements, Community News, Landscaping

NOTIFICATION OF TURF RENOVATION

Over the last several weeks, the Landscape Committee has been working closely with Ruppert Landscape to develop an affordable turf beautification renovation plan for our community. On April 5, 2023, Ruppert’s WSG Area Manager, Field Manager, and the Landscape Committee surveyed each Close to determine if, and how much, each main Common Area and areas near/around private property, needed turf renovation.  That survey indicated that while many of the Common Areas, as well as sections around private property, did not need renovation due to the spring rains and warmer weather, other areas did need some kind of renovation.  Ruppert then submitted an initial proposal for work to start toward the middle of April, but that proposal was costly and somewhat incomplete. The Landscape Committee felt that the proposal needed a second review before contracting the work.

On April 17, the Landscape Committee met with the Regional Manager and another senior Area Manager to review the initial proposal.  After a thorough review and a walk around several Closes, Ruppert’s strong recommendation was to put off the turf renovation (especially seeding and fertilizing) until fall due to the following:

  1. One turf treatment of pre-emergent for weeds had occurred already and a second one is scheduled to be done soon. Doing turf renovation now would negate 100% success with seed germination while doing it in the spring would reduce the success rate due to vagaries in the weather over the summer, especially the heat. Ruppert does not recommend foregoing these early turf applications since they are critical in order to control the weeds, especially broadleaf.
  2. The lime application, however, would be beneficial at any time to work towards balancing the pH in soil conditions.

Since these compelling and cost-conscious recommendations make a great deal of sense, Turf Renovation will occur this fall.

April — Throughout WSG -TBD

  • Application of pelletized dolomite lime to all areas.

This step is needed to prepare the soil for the fall application of Tall Fescue seed and fertilizer to all areas to be surveyed in the fall.

Fall – Late September – Early October – TBD: 

NOTE: While lime will be applied to all areas in WSG in April, not all areas will require aeration and seeding in the fall.  Prior to these applications, the Landscape Committee and Ruppert will conduct a Close-by-Close survey to determine which Common Areas and areas around residences need the following two applications of all surveyed areas.

  • Double aeration to pulverize the soil by machine and create a medium for the application of the seed and fertilizer.
  • Tall Fescue seed and fertilizer will be applied as needed. Fertilizer will be applied a second time approximately 30 days later. Aeration will also occur at that time to enhance the germination of seeding which has taken place.

NOTE:   A Notice with specific Closes and/or residences will be sent out announcing these interventions prior to the work being done.

This will be an expensive undertaking since turf renovation consists of double aeration of the affected areas, the application of lime, reseeding, fertilizer, and initial watering upon installation.   The Ruppert proposal further states: “All newly installed plant material shall be covered by a one-time, six-month replacement warranty … and is contingent upon proper watering and maintenance being provided by the owner.”  Since this project will be very expensive and will consume a good portion of the Landscape budget for 2023, the Landscape Committee appeals to residents in each Close for assistance, if possible, after the work has been done in the Fall. The watering and maintenance of your areas will help ensure that our funds have been well spent and that the rejuvenation of these areas will proceed as planned.  Ruppert would charge from $60.00 to $100.00 per hour to water depending upon how subsequent watering would be done, which would substantially increase the cost of this project.

Thank you for your understanding and for your continuing collective efforts to keep WSG beautiful.

David Piet, Landscape Committee Chair

P.S. I will be out of town from April 19 – May 9, 2023, so there will be no “Maintenance” signs put out on the two “What’s Happening in WSG” stands along Weathersfield and Swim and Croquet.  Regular maintenance will be every Wednesday, weather permitting.

Announcements, Community News, Landscaping

LANDSCAPE NOTICE

Subject:  Ruppert Landscape in Weathersfield

  1. Regular maintenance will take place on Tuesday, March 21, next week rather than Wednesday since mulching will be done the following two days. This is the last day for Ruppert’s 2x per month fall/winter schedule.
  2. Mulching will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, March 22 and 23.
  3. Ruppert will begin their regular 4x per month routine maintenance the first week of April. They will be in WSG each Wednesday, weather permitting.

Reminders:

  • Please place your leaf bags and yard debris in the designate place in your Close for pickup by the Ruppert crew.
  • Please do not use plastic bags for yard refuse.

Let’s keep up the great work of keeping WSG clean and beautiful.

Landscaping

Winter Reminders for Ruppert Landscape and Davey Tree

Ruppert Landscaping:

During regular maintenance in WSG on Wednesday, January 11, Ruppert will also pick up Christmas trees.  Please put your tree at the entrance of your Close or in the designated area in your Close where you regularly place your paper leaf bags and other yard debris.

Davey Tree:

  • The annual WSG tree survey which identified branches or trees that needed to be removed over houses, decks, and garages, was conducted on December 14 and 16.
  • Davey Tree will do the actual work of branch and tree removal in mid-January 2023.

As usual, it will be noisy due to the use of chain saws and the chipper.

Community News, Landscaping

Ruppert Landscape – Fall and Winter Schedule December 2022 – March 2023

Ruppert Landscape will be in Weathersfield for regular maintenance the following two Wednesdays – November 23 and 30 – weather permitting. Special attention will be focused on leaf blowing and removal.

Ruppert’s schedule will be twice monthly beginning Wednesday, December 7, 2022, and will go through March 2023.

  • Please keep in mind these biweekly dates or mark your calendars.
  • Please put leaf bags and/or yard debris out the night before, or the day of, Ruppert’s visit to Weathersfield on their biweekly schedule.

Reminder: please refrain from using plastic bags for leaves since they are not biodegradable. Leaf bags should only be the large
paper leaf bags that are available at many hardware stores.

Thank you,

David L. Piet, Chair, Landscape Committee

Landscaping

Pruning Beginning October 5

Pruning of bushes, shrubs, and holly trees on private property will begin on Wednesday, October 5 (weather permitting), on a Close-by-Close basis. Please use colored tape to identify any plants you DO NOT want Ruppert to prune. In July, all tapes were left with a neighbor in your Close, so please check with one of your neighbors to obtain the tape. The Landscape Committee has no more tape to distribute. Once your property has been pruned, please remove the tape from plants.

Announcements, Landscaping, Services

Pruning Postponed

While the pruning of bushes, shrubs, and Holly Trees on private property had been planned to start at the end of July, in consultation Wednesday with Ruppert Landscape, they strongly advised that such pruning be postponed until the weather cools substantially – e.g., day temps in the low 80s and night temperatures in the mid-to-upper 50s or low 60s. 

Due to the past and continuing heat wave in our area, if pruning were to be done now it could compromise or kill bushes and shrubs. And, that is not the result we wish for since each of us has put a great deal of hard work into keeping our garden areas beautiful.

Please keep the tape with a neighbor so that it can be reapplied when pruning is rescheduled.

As soon as Ruppert suggests an appropriate time, a new Notice will be posted on the WSG website and via email.

With sincere apologies for any inconvenience this has caused.

Thank you. The Landscape Committee, David Piet – Chair

Announcements, Landscaping, Services

Pruning of Bushes, Shrubs and Holly Trees

Pruning of bushes, shrubs, and holly trees on private property will begin starting next week – July 27 (weather permitting) – on a Close-by-Close basis.  Please use colored tape to identify any plants you DO NOT want Ruppert to prune. Tapes will be placed on benches in each Close this weekend so that you can prepare. Once property has been pruned, please remove the tape from plants.

Thank you.

The Landscape Committee, David Piet – Chair

Landscaping

Landscape Services This Week

Ruppert Landscape will provide mulching services this week, Monday, March 7 through Thursday, March 10, weather permitting.  They will also carry out regular landscaping service, including picking up bagged yard waste, on Wednesday, March 9.  Please set out your yard bags and tied tree branch bundles either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning.

Landscaping

Ruppert Landscape Schedule and Reminders to Homeowners

As was recently shared on the WSG website, Ruppert Landscape will begin its spring and summer regular maintenance in WSG starting per the following schedule:

Weather permitting, these visits are regularly scheduled for Wednesdays each week. If Ruppert cannot come to WSG on a particular Wednesday, the crew will try to come the next day. Please mark your calendars for these weekly Wednesday maintenance visits.

1.   February 25 – 28, 2022: edging and mulching of beds on private property (up to the HVAC system) and Common Areas. Edging will precede mulching and will take several days to complete. Triple Shred dark mulch will again be used.

2.   Starting March 2, 2022, from spring through fall, Ruppert will be in WSG performing their routine maintenance. (For more information see the Landscape Guidance on the WSG website which includes what is covered under Ruppert’s contract with WSG.)

SPECIAL NOTE:  Reminders to homeowners on the proper preparation and placement of leaf bags and yard debris:

1.   Per past Landscape guidance, all leaves and small twigs should be placed in paper leaf bags. Leaf bags are available at Lowes, Home Depot, and other hardware stores. Please do not use plastic bags for leaf disposal.

2.   Larger branches should be bundled together and tied with twine to facilitate easy pickup by Ruppert.

3.   Residents are mindful and compliant with the WSG Tuesday trash and recycle schedule. It would be greatly appreciated if the same could be adhered to for landscape pickup.  A Service Notice from Ruppert will be posted by email and on the WSG website prior to the scheduled Wednesday visits.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS, PLEASE: 

Refrain from putting brown paper leaf bags or other yard debris out for pickup until the night before, or the day of, routine maintenance on these dates (see above Schedule). 

Refrain from leaving leaf bags or bundles along the grassy edges along Weathersfield, Woodbury, and Swim and Croquet. These items are unsightly and detract from the beauty of our neighborhood.

Rather, each Close should designate a “staging area” within their Close to place these items. For example, keep leaf bags in the garage or behind the house; next to or behind garages that are along the entry to your Close.

This will facilitate Ruppert’s removal of these items during their visits.

For those who have regular gardeners/landscapers, please ask them to remove all such debris when they are at your house/s.

Refrain from parking personal vehicles on the grassy edges along Weathersfield Road and Swim and Croquet. And notify contractors of the same. In November 2021, Ruppert aerated and overseeded the grass on both sides of Weathersfield and the right side of Swim and Croquet to the T-junction at Village Way. Parking on these edges hinders the grass from germinating.

Per the above Schedule, Ruppert is planning on overseeding some of the areas, especially on Common Areas and along these three roads this spring.

Additional dates will be forthcoming. Please check your email or the Weathersfield website, www.weathersfieldsg.org for posted Notices and dates.