Landscape and Snow

Before digging in Illinois be sure to call 811, JULIE 800-892-0123 or CHICAGO DIGGER 312-744-7000 to avoid buried utilities

Joseph — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:47:20 +0000

Whether you are preparing to install a tree, pond, hedge, drainage system, new concrete or even a road side mailbox be sure to call 811 (or your local One-Call system) to learn if there are any buried utilities (electric, natural gas, communication cables, drinking water, sewer, etc.) nearby that will need to be avoided.

www.call811.com

JULIE, INC. 800-892-0123 – www.illinois1call.com – Hours: 24 hours, 7 days – Advance Notice: 2 working days minimum – Marks Valid: 28 calendar day

CHICAGO DIGGER 312-744-7000 – www.cityofchicago.org/transportation - Hours: 6:00am.-10:00pm. – Advance Notice: 48 hours – Marks Valid: 28 calendar days

Different paint colors will be used to mark the various underground utilities found on your property. It is very important to have a good idea as to what these colors represent.

RED: Red markings identify electric systems including high voltage and low voltage power lines and wires.
YELLOW: Yellow is used to designate the approximate location of pipe systems which carry natural gas, oil, steam and petroleum products.
ORANGE: Orange marks identify the approximate location of communication type cabling networks.
BLUE: Blue marks identify the approximate location of pipes carrying drinking water.
PURPLE: Purple is used to mark reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines. In many cases these lines go unmarked by 811 notification services due to being on private property and owned by property owners.
GREEN: Green marks identify the approximate location of sewer and storm sewer pipes as well as other drain lines.
WHITE and PINK: White and pink are the only two colors in the APWA color code that do not designate the approximate location of underground lines on a job site. White is commonly used to indicate proposed excavation and pink to mark temporary survey markings.

Please be sure to contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. with any questions or service requests. Thank you for visiting our site!

Which local flying insect loves stagnate water found in catch basins, rain gutters, plant containers, ditches and can spread disease as it feeds on blood?

Joseph — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:11:31 +0000

Culex Pipiens or better known as the Northern House Mosquito!

I think we can all agree that mosquitoes are a nuisance pest that can make any considerable time spent outdoors very problematic. As the weather warms and as routine rains occur prepare to encounter the dreaded mosquito. Unlike tiny Midge flies that do not bite, mosquitoes (female Culex Pipiens in particular) can blood feed and spread diseases like West Nile Virus, St. Louis encephalitis, La Crosse encephalitis and other diseases. They routinely lay eggs in temporary stagnate pools like catch basins, ditches, marshes, clogged rain gutters, planters and even in old water filled tires. Basically any location where clean or polluted water can accumulate undisturbed for less than 2 weeks is all it takes. Mosquitoes have 4 life stages; Egg, Larva, Pupa and Adult. Since only the female mosquito blood feeds (sucks blood), it is critical for the female mosquito to acquire the needed protein (via blood) to produce eggs (50-400 eggs at a time). Please keep in mind that female blood sucking mosquitoes not only feed on humans, but birds and animals as well. Once mosquito eggs are laid they become larva in only 3 days. Mosquitoes complete their life cycle (egg-larva-pupa-adult) in 7-10 days. Even the most effective mosquito control program cannot completely eliminate mosquitoes. Mosquito populations can be reduced by eliminating breeding sites (if possible). Mosquito bites and disease can be prevented through properly maintained window screens, protective clothing and repellents (containing DEET 10-30% most effective). Mosquitoes are less attracted to white clothes than to dark colored clothes. Controlling mosquito larva (primarily by removing stagnate water or by utilizing a larvacide) should be the primary goal of any mosquito management plan. Control of adult mosquitoes can be accomplished by applying residual barrier treatments to reduce mosquitoes resting in vegetation during the day or by ground applied fogs (adulticiding) at dusk. Even the best adulticide program will eliminate no more than 30% of the total adult mosquito population. A good seasonal larvacide program is needed for best local area mosquito control.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for a healthy lawn and landscape!

Joseph — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:19:53 +0000

Integrated Pest Management is the process of continually scouting for lawn and landscape related pests and injury. Pests can be defined as a weed, disease, rodent or insect that can cause injury. When managing the health of your lawn and landscape it is very important to understand the goals of Integrated Pest Management. The two primary goals of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is to protect the environment and provide economical pest control up to the economic and aesthetic thresholds that you the property owner specifies. It is very important to be able to identify what exactly a pest is, if the pest is susceptible (or non-susceptible) to control and if a pest is injurious to the desirable managed plant or not. There are four primary control measures that are routinely used in IPM; Cultural, Mechanical, Biological and Chemical. Cultural control involves growing the desired plant to be healthy through proper fertility, planting, plant selection (less susceptible plants), mulching and mowing. Mechanical control is physically eliminating a pest by cultivating, pruning, hoeing and weed pulling, hand picking or burning and burying. Biological control utilizes living organisms such as predators (lady beetles, spiders, insect-feeding birds), parasites (parasitic wasps, tachinid flies, etc.) and diseases (B.t. bacteria, Beauvaria fungus). Lastly chemical control features the use of pesticides that are primarily quick, effective and short-term. It is highly recommended to consider non-chemical methods first. When applying pesticides you will need to consider any/all environmental impacts, proper timing and location of application. Resistance can be experienced from continual use of same mode-of-action pesticide. Please contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. for professional lawn related care in the greater Chicago and surrounding northwest suburban area. Thank you for taking the time to read our blog and we look forward to being of service to you in the very near future!

Chicago area underground flood control systems, sewer repairs, emergency utility work and the necessary landscape related repairs that follow!

Joseph — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:14:07 +0000

The damage done to a mature lawn or landscape (in particular) after a major sewer repair, drainage improvements or new flood control system has been installed can be minimal or quite extreme. Plant material, lawns, irrigation systems, retaining walls, pavement and low voltage lighting can be damaged or completely destroyed when underground construction takes place near by. Other matters like extreme soil compaction and severed mature plant root systems are very common issues as well. Depending on the initial soil excavation depth, size of equipment used, property location, type of underground repair performed and amount of construction spoils left behind will normally dictate the cost of landscape restoration services required. One of the main cost drivers (besides labor and materials) of residential landscape restoration work (post sewer/flood control improvements) is the amount of excess stone/debris that is left behind. When hiring an underground repair contractor it is always a good idea to be aware and to discuss who exactly will be responsible for the cost of removing excess fill/debris (off-site) if needed. If the excess fill material that is left behind is somewhat desirable (soil or sand) and lacks large pieces of unwanted stone, bricks, concrete, etc. than it can be easily re-purposed/relocated on-site to reduce overall restoration costs. Some examples of how to use these excess materials may be to elevate a low lying plant bed area, create a new raised planting bed or to fill-in multiple low/sunken lawn areas that are in need of repair. In addition, please keep in mind that it is very likely that ground settling will occur after deep soil excavation work has been performed. Depending on how well the underground contractor compacted the back-filled soil/stone will determine the amount of ground settling to be experienced in the future (1-3 years post landscape repair). Please contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. to assist in evaluating and providing the necessary lawn and landscape restoration services for your Chicago or surrounding northwest suburban residential property.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to being of assistance to you in the very near future.

Having just the right cutting edge on your snow plow can make all the difference!

Joseph — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 04:17:42 +0000

As a Chicago area snow and ice management contractor for nearly 20 years, we have grown quite accustomed to the effectiveness of steel edged snow plows, shovels, blowers, etc. Steel is the most common and in many cases lowest cost material to use at the bottom of a snow clearing piece of equipment. The reason steel is the go-to trusted material for scraping, plowing and even lifting snow is it’s great durability, performance and availability. Another great aspect of steel is that it can be repaired fairly easily by welding two broken pieces together, straightened when bent by applying intense heat and if needed quickly replaced. Even though steel edged snow removal tools have earned their place in the snow fighters “tool box” over the years, you should be aware of other great materials that can provide excellent snow and ice clearing, but also provide very minimal wear or scratching of the surface being cleaned. The other materials that make for great snow removal cutting/wear edges are solid rubber and polyurethane. Rubber blades offer great abrasion resistance. As you know rubber blades are more flexible and elastic than metal blades, therefore absorb impact, shock, and conform easily to the pavement surface. Rubber will reduce damage to the surface being cleared, making it the ideal choice for use on parking garages, brick pavers, cobblestone, or any other sensitive uneven surface. Rubber (in my opinion) is the fastest wearing material when used commercially on a vehicle operated snow plow. The other material is polyurethane. Polyurethane provides improved abrasion characteristics over rubber and most metals. Even though polyurethane is very expensive, it is also very resilient, and therefore absorbs impacts and conforms to the surface being plowed quite nicely. Polyurethane cutting edges reduce equipment wear by minimizing blade and equipment vibration. Polyurethane cutting edges are very quiet in operation, making them ideal for use in residential areas and hospitals. Even though rubber and polyurethane cutting edges certainly have earned their place for clearing snow across the greater Chicago and northwest surrounding suburban area, my favorite material remains to be steel for the excellent proven results it produces year after year. Please contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. with any questions or snow and ice management service requests you may have. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!

On-Site Storage of Snow Fighting Equipment and Ice Melt Materials = Ultra Reliable and Cost Effective Chicago Area Snow Plowing and Deicing Services

Joseph — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 04:59:33 +0000

If you demand nothing less than prompt, efficient and cost effective snow and ice management services at your larger Chicago area commercial, industrial or multi-family residential property then plan on providing ample on-site unobstructed short term winter storage space for your contractor’s dedicated snow clearing equipment, vital hand tools and needed ice melt materials If the scope of work at a particular property is large enough to benefit from on-site equipment or ice melt material storage then it is very likely that a team of dedicated snow and ice fighting professionals will be exclusively assigned to your property for the entire winter season as well. The winning combination of on-site dedicated/staged snow fighting equipment, adequate supply of ice melting materials on hand and a team of dedicated snow fighters equal the very best in prompt and cost effective service. In most cases only a few unused parking spaces will be needed to stage a dedicated plow vehicle or other needed piece of snow fighting equipment. However, it can be very cost effective for the client (if space allows) for a steel storage container to be placed on-site so the contractor can store it’s critical snow fighting equipment, supplies and ice melt materials securely and out of the weather. It is very common for contractors to store various sized skid-steer loaders (Bobcat’s), snow plows, snow blowers, ice melt materials (bulk or bagged), ATV’s and spreaders in these steel constructed on-site secure weather protected storage containers. Steel storage (overseas or conex) containers come in many sizes. It is very common for a container to be 8’ wide, but can be specially constructed up to 10’ wide. Containers can be up to 9.5’ tall and range in length from 8’ all the way to 53’ long. Many containers have two full width opening doors at one end (only) but can be leased or purchased with double doors at both ends of the container. The mobile shipping containers are normally delivered to a property via flatbed roll back truck or trailer where they are placed in the exact location of choice. When ready to remove, the containers need to be emptied of their contents and are easily lifted by a truck or trailer mounted steel winch, pulled atop a flatbed, secured and trucked away. There are many companies that specialize in the rental and/or sales of steel storage containers. The best container companies will have good inventory, offer fast delivery/pick up and will readily customize a container to best suit your needs. Before hiring your next snow and ice management contractor be sure to discuss the possibility of on-site equipment or material storage at your property. On-site storage is a great way to add value to most seasonal snow and ice management agreements. Please contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. with any snow and ice management need, question or concern you may have. Thank you for your time and we look forward to being of service to you!

Whether you say fall or autumn one thing is for sure…. It’s time to clean the fallen leaves!

Joseph — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 01:35:08 +0000

Here in northern Illinois it seems that as soon as the summer heat is gone we move quickly into the much needed plant loving cool and rain prone fall season. After experiencing one of the hottest and driest summer’s on record, fall could not come soon enough. It continues to amaze me how our plant filled landscapes in particular visually transform from late September through November. From the beautiful leaves on trees, shrubs and vines changing color to summer stressed lawn’s growing green once again, the fall season is just awesome! As beautiful as the fall season is there is one part of it that many people despise and cannot avoid……..cleanup of fallen leaves! When it comes to raking and removing fallen leaves and debris from your property it cannot be stated enough that weekly cleanings are best. As you know not only do different tree and shrub varieties lose their leaves at different times of the fall season but we also must contend with adverse weather conditions which will routinely delay fall cleanup related work. We can only expect that ever increasing strong winds, heavy rains and even sleet and snow storms will make any previous delay in cleaning fallen leaves into a huge time consuming nightmare. Just like shoveling or plowing snow from a sidewalk or driveway, it is best to clear the leaves from your property as they fall (a little at a time) instead of waiting for some future date when every leaf will have fallen from every nearby tree. Not only will your lawn thrive if leaves are not left to smother it from above, but your neighbors will truly appreciate your hard work if fallen leaves and debris are not left to blow onto adjacent properties or are allowed to clog shared storm drains. If you need help cleaning your leaves this fall season please contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. for prompt and professional service.

Do I have grubs? My lawn is under attack from skunks, crows and raccoon’s!

Joseph — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 03:13:27 +0000

If you are one of the unlucky few this summer season that has discovered grub related lawn damage than please read on. Everyone loves a beautiful healthy lawn that makes a property stand out, but you should know that your lawn can be destroyed in just a few days if white grubs (in particular) are allowed to feed freely on your lawn’s root zone. Grubs are the larval stage (four stages of development = egg, larva, pupa and adult) of various scarab/flying beetles that call your lawn and landscape home. The main beetle varieties found in Northern Illinois are the masked chafer and Japanese beetle. Several other beetle varieties include Asiatic garden beetle, European chafer, green June beetle, May and June beetles and Oriental beetle. Grubs can be described as dirty white colored, soft bodied, and robust with a brown head and six well-developed legs, with exception of green June beetle grubs, which do not have well developed legs. When the turf is lifted to expose the grubs, they usually will be lying on their sides in a C-shaped position. The life cycles of the above mentioned beetles are completed in 12 months with the exception of the common May or June beetle, which has a three-year life cycle. Adult beetles lay eggs in the ground during the summer. As soon as grubs hatch, they start feeding on the lawn roots until cold weather drives them two to eight inches deeper into the soil where they overwinter. As temperatures warm in the spring, the grubs move up from the lower soil regions and resume feeding near the surface until they become mature and pupate from May through early-June. Later emergence can occur and is dependent on local weather conditions. Heavy white grub infestations can destroy grass roots, causing the affected area to become spongy, which allows the sod to be rolled back like a piece of carpet. Even though grub infestations are not always obvious, damage is routinely discovered in spring (April or May) and late summer and fall (September and October). When you see grub eating skunks, raccoon’s or crows in your yard you need to inspect your lawn to see if grub populations are beyond 5-10 grubs per square foot. Please keep in mind that grubs do not typically appear in shade lawns. Since adult beetles usually lay eggs in full-sun green lawn areas with adequate moisture, if your lawn is dry, dormant and/or poorly rooted you will have little risk of grub damage. It is highly recommended to prevent grub damage by applying a preventative insecticide such as Imidacloprid (Merit) between late June and the beginning of August seasonally. However, if no preventative insecticide is applied and a grub outbreak is discovered than a curative insecticide like Trichlorfon (Dylox) is highly recommended to prevent large scale turf damage. If significant grub damage has occurred, the lawn will need some renovation work in early fall or the following spring to rebuild lawn density. If you suspect your lawn has grubs, please contact Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. to schedule an on-site visit to have our team professionally analyze your lawn and offer control and repair recommendations for your review.

Take your pick……… Choosing the best snow plowing and ice control contract for a Chicago winter!

Joseph — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 02:58:53 +0000

The winter’s in Chicago and it’s surrounding suburbs have become very unpredictable to say the least. Even though meteorologists do their best to provide “forecasts” of anticipated winter weather, we just never know for sure. As property owners we must prepare well in advance for winters worst to ensure our residential, commercial or industrial properties are kept clear of snow and ice. Even though every property is different and service expectations vary, here are several common ways to purchase snow and ice management services .

Unlimited Seasonal Contract: Any/all snow plowing, shoveling, ice melt applications, etc. will be performed for a fixed non-fluctuating seasonal fee. Normally invoiced in full at beginning of season or monthly (November – March).
Limited Seasonal Contract: Limited number of snow plowing, shoveling and/or ice melt applications will be performed before incurring an additional predetermined fee (per service, per accumulated inch, per hour, etc.). Normally if service exceeds specified limited contract quantities (number of service visits, applications, snow accumulation, etc.), client will be invoiced for additional predetermined fees at the end of a calendar month, season, etc..
Per Inch: Snow plowing and/or shoveling services are performed and depending on actual snow accumulation at time of service (determined on-site or by third party meteorologist), client is invoiced for each individual snow clearing visit at the predetermined contracted rate (i.e. 1″-3.9″ = $10.00, 4.0-7.9″ = $15.00, 8.0-11.9″= $25.00, etc.)
Per Application: Ice melt applications are made before/during/after winter precipitation has occurred. Client is invoiced for each individual ice melt application property visit made. Depending on site conditions, budget, temperatures, etc. multiple ice melt materials are commonly used (sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, etc.)
Per Event: Any/all snow plowing, shoveling, ice melt applications, etc. are performed and invoiced at the end of a snow event. Usually each “event” is defined as continuous snow fall beyond 2″ and within a 24 hour period)
Time & Materials: Any/all snow plowing, shoveling, ice melt applications, etc. are performed and invoiced according to predetermined hourly and/or material rates.
As Needed Only: Any/all snow plowing, shoveling, ice melt applications, etc. are requested by the client normally after winter precipitation has occurred. Pricing for needed services are normally provided just before work begins on-site. In my opinion, this is the most unpredictable and most expensive way to purchase snow and ice management services.
Any combination of the above

As always, our team at Pacocha Landscaping Services, Inc. remains at your complete disposal 24/7/365. Be sure to let us know if we can provide winter related service information for your residential, commercial or industrial property.

Sod Webworm: Weakened or drought stressed lawns beware!

Joseph — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 21:18:47 +0000

If you maintain a lawn that happens to benefit from full sun exposure (not shaded) and has become weakened from heat and drought stress you need to be aware of sod webworm and the damage it can cause. This small sod webworm caterpillar (5/8″-1″ in length) can chew off leaves and stems of your cool-season grasses including Kentucky bluegrass, most fescues, perennial ryegrass and bentgrass. It will cause general lawn thinning, followed by small patches of brown and finally leaving behind closely cut/cropped areas. A lawn that is healthy and well irrigated will often tolerate and recover from sod webworm scalping. Weak or drought stressed lawns that have been clipped short by sod webworm may be killed via sun exposure to the crowns of the plant. Adult sod webworm moths (lawn moths) are small whitish, dull gray or tan colored moths that hover over turfgrass at dusk. As these small sod webworm moths flutter across the lawn females drop eggs during flight that settle in the upper thatch layer of your lawn. As many as 500 eggs are laid during a life span of usually less than 14 days. Depending on temperatures, eggs hatch in 4 to 20 days and the larvae develop through usually 6 to 8 larval stages in 4 to 7 weeks. The larvae are beige, gray, brown or a greenish color (depending upon species) with a brownish head. The older larvae chew down foliage around their burrows mainly at night. Most sod webworm have two generations per year. Sod webworm are fairly easy to control on a curative, as-needed basis. Insecticide controls are directed against the feeding larvae, not the moths. A healthy, vigorous turf, balanced fertility and adequate irrigation during dry periods will enhance your lawn’s tolerance to sod webworm feeding. As always, be sure to contact a local lawn professional to help identify sod webworm, evaluate treatment options and analyze if lawn repairs will be needed.