Garden Tech Horticultural Services located at 1171 R Main St. in Walpole specializes in landscape design, installation and landscape construction services for plantings. They also do hardscapes such as patios, walkways and fire pits.
Our New England winter this year was harsh and many trees, hedges and shrubs were badly damaged.
Patch sat down with owner Bob Trainor, certified horticulturalist and landscape professional to discuss some remedies for those damaged plantings. Many Walpole residents may know Trainor from his garden designs around Walpole landmarks.
Patch: When did you start Garden Tech Horticultural Services?
Trainor: I started Garden Tech back in 1998. I was a single dad and needed to find flexible work hours. I already had 20 years in the landscape and nursery field so it was a natural progression. I started out specializing in small garden design and installation and filled a niche market that the typical “mow and blow” companies couldn’t service. As the appreciation for more experienced landscape care grew, a result of better educated consumers, demand for our services grew as well. We’ve had to expand in several areas including lawn maintenance and heavier construction jobs like patios and walkways.
Patch: What do you do to help all of the plantings that were damaged because of our harsh winter?
Trainor: This spring has had its challenges. The late winter snowfall delayed our spring start time but also brought with it lots of damage to trees and shrubs. Our most frequent repair calls are for arborvitae hedges that have been bent over by the weight of the wet snow. The nature of evergreen shrubs with multiple trunks like arborvitae and upright junipers is that they are prone to falling apart under heavy wet snow conditions.
The best way to handle such a damaged hedge is to first cut off any dead or broken limbs. Then tie the trunks together at about 2/3 the height up from the ground. It is important to tie the shrubs with something that won’t dig into the soft bark of the trunks, definitely don’t use a thin wire. We use a product called Arbor Tie, which is a nylon strap that is gentle on the trunks. Also anything used to tie up the shrubs should be removed after a season or two or you risk girdling the trunks as the bark tries to grow around it. We use a product called Arbor Tie, which is a nylon webbing or strap.
Patch: Do trees and shrubs benefit from pruning?
Trainor: Pruning back the tops of the shrubs helps take the weight off but this should be done carefully as to not cut into older wood that is not going to send out new buds. Thinning out the tops also allows more light to the branches below which can help make for a fuller plant. If a shrub or hedge is bent to one side from the weight of snow one can also drive a heavy stake into the ground and secure the up righted shrub to it.
Patch: How can you avoid future damage?
Trainor: To avoid future snow damage think carefully about the sighting of landscape plants. I would not plant an arborvitae hedge under the eve of a roof where heavy snow can build up. Also, where possible if you choose plants with a single leader as opposed to multiple trunks they are less likely to succumb to snow load damage. To avoid recurring damage to existing shrubs it may be wise to tie some together for the winter months but never cover them with any kind of plastic. I am always amused when I see “upholstered” shrubs appear in landscapes every fall, most of it is unnecessary and often times harmful.
For more information you can find Garden Tech Horticultural Service on Facebook or call (508) 660-0490.
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