| Basic Turf Maintenance |
| April |
- Maintenance begins with one visit during the month of April, to perform a spring clean up.
- Dethatching is a process which removes thatch in turf. Thatch is a build up that protects the roots from burn out and keeps the roots moist. Thatch layers should be no less than 1/4 inch and no more than 1/2 inch. This process removes thatch to keep the level within limits. If the turf needs spots touched up, they will be handraked.
- All leaves in beds and surrounding areas of property will be blown, raked and removed.
- All dirt beds will be turned and weeded.
- All edges will be edged and defined (curbs, walks, drives and bedlines).
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| May |
- Cutting starts, alternating cuts four times a month to prevent gullys or damage from the mower. Kentucky Blue Grass is to be maintained at 2 1/2 inches in the Chicago area. During hot months, the blades may be raised to 3 inches to prevent any burn out.
- Edging is performed weekly.
- Cultivating is performed every other week (mulched beds will be edged 3-4 times per year).
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| June - July |
- General maintenance continues.
- Bushes are trimmed. Maintenance crews are trained to keep the shape of the previous year.
- Apex trims all bushes following their flowering periods, which occur at different times. The crews only trim spring growth or growth of that year. If preferred, Apex will trim or prune anytime during the year.
- Following this time, bushes are cut when needed except for evergreens, which must be cut prior to August 1 to prevent winter burn.
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| August - September |
- General maintenance continues.
- Trimming deciduous shrubs of any excess growth that may have occurred.
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| October - November |
- Fall clean up is performed.
- All leaves in beds & surrounding areas of property will be blown, raked, and removed.
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