Tag Archive for: Commercial Landscaping


BLADE RUNNERS is the only contractor in the Washington, DC region to use MAGIC SALT. There are countless reasons to make use of this product…BUT…don’t believe us!  See what 8 different national news television stations are saying about it.

Click on the images below to our MAGIC SALT video website

eyewtness graphic


Hi Eric.
Just wanted to let you know Blade Runners has done a great job with the snow removal in Hillcrest Cluster this winter. We are receiving feedback from residents saying thank you, and I wanted to let you know we have been very pleased with our service.

Thanks so much from your friendly neighborhood Hillcrest Cluster Board


Eric and Mike,

I told your crew yesterday that working here, that I was going to call
you, but decided an email to both of you would be better.
I thanked them for the good job they are doing here and wanted you also
to know that we appreciate their efficiency and conscientiousness. They
are doing a very good job.
They certainly are good employees for your firm.

Jack Arnold
1st Choice Park, 8300 Arlington Blvd.

Courtyard by Marriott Fairfax Fair Oaks Blade Runners was pleased to hear from Ross Davis, General Manager, Courtyard Marriott Fairfax Fair Oaks.  He commented patrons loved the Curb Appeal of the property.  Additionally, Regional Marriott management were very complementary and thought the property looked great.  Always a pleasure for Blade Runners to do business with clients who demand quality grounds maintenance.


Creating an Objective: Some of the most common objectives are listed below.

  • Improve structure/health
    • Improve health by establishing a structural pruning program to young trees 15’ or less on the property.  Structural pruning of young trees is the best way to ensure and improve the serviceable lifespan of trees on your property.
  • Provide a view
    • A view can be created or enhanced through crown reduction where the edge of the crown at the top of the tree is reduced or by elevation pruning where lower branches of the crown are removed.
  • Provide clearance
    • Growth can be directed away from buildings lights or parking areas. This is the most commonly request pruning item and will need to be repeated as the tree will grow back to fill the void created by pruning.
  • Reduce risk of failure
    • Risk of tree failure can be reduced by identifying and rectifying hazard conditions such in bark, dead or broken branches or large scaffold limbs. Mature trees need to be monitored to manage these risks. Recommendations will depend on the specific tree.

Types of Pruning

You may have noted several pruning terms listed in the description above. Your proposal should speak in these terms, beware of specs that simply state ‘Pruning’ We use the following terms in our proposals as they are recognized tree standards supported by the International Society of Arboriculture and the American National Standards Institute[ANSI]

Remove Deadwood Crown Cleaning Crown   Thinning Crown Reduction Crown Raising Structural Pruning
Dead limbs exceeding 1″ in caliper   will be removed in order to eliminate a possible hazard to underlying   targets. A light pruning of thinning or   lateral cuts to selectively remove dead, broken, crossing, injured,   co-dominant or diseased branches will reduce the movement of decay, insects   and diseases from dead or dying branches. Selective removal of live   branches to reduce crown density. Lateral or drop-crotch cuts to   reduce the breadth of the canopy or decrease the height and/or breadth of a   tree. Selective removal of branches to   provide vertical clearance above walkways, vehicles, signs, streets and   vistas. Removal of live branches to   establish dominant central leader, influence spacing, growth rate, strength   of attachment and size of branches.

 

When encouraging the healthy growth of your trees and plants it is important for you or your contractor to follow the American National tandards for Pruning (ANSI 300). Read more to see these standards and to get other hints! You should not be confused by the terminology that your contractors use. Be Pragmatic and ask Pointed Questions! Be sure they follow the appropriate terminology and have thoroughly trained staff. Your contractor will know when the best time to prune each specific plant is.

We welcome all calls to your Blade Runners Account Manager should you have any questions!

 

 


Dear Manaager, Heights of Penderbrook:

Glad you mentioned BladeRunners. They are included in our landscaping bidding process. How is your experience with them?

They do a good job and very knowledgeable in the field. I would definitely consider them if your Board is looking for a landscaping company concentrating on going green, in regards to the environment. BladeRunner are on the cutting edge on this movement. Even their grounds men are wearing blue shirts with the “going green logo” so in short they have my endorsement.

Derrick Springfield

Site Manager

Legum & Norman, Inc.

An Associa® Member Company

 

Read all about Virginia Property Owners’ Association Act requirements for new notice of pesticide application 

Many Virginia HOA Boards, Property Managers, and landscape contractors were blindsided by a Virginia Statute (§ 55-510.3 ) requiring 48 hours of posting notice for all agronomic applications.

Read the actual statue § 55-510.3. Common areas; notice of pesticide application.  The association shall post notice of all pesticide applications in or upon the common areas. Such notice shall consist of conspicuous signs placed in or upon the common areas where the pesticide will be applied at least 48 hours prior to the application

Posting Agronomic Signs & Blade Runners Approach:

While this may produce added expense for the association it really is a good idea.  Effective communication to the residents, if done properly, communicates service dates, contact phone numbers for residents with questions, and provides residents with support documentation of pesticide products to be applied, along with product labels and contact information should they have further concerns.  

Blade Runners has long provided this pesticide sign posting service as an option for HOA’s.  This not just littering the community with pesticide application flags vaguely communicating the something was applied. When you need your pest control issues taken care of promptly, call PA Pest Arrest!

We provide highly visible, solid real estate-style signs placed at specific areas of the property. It contains the dates of application along with a phone number to call with questions, as well as, our website address.

Proper implementation for both pesticide notice posting and the agronomic applications takes planning.  Adequate inventories of signs are needed to replace weathered and/or stolen signs.  Coordination planning is necessary in order to time the application after a turf mowing for maximum control along with the required 48 hour advance posting visit to place the signs. In the event of poor weather, an additional visit might be needed to alter the date.  Signs are removed from the site after the application.

 Blade Runners has a resource manual that contains

  • Product label and MSDS sheets for all products we use.
  • Phone numbers for state and government agencies should the client want addition information.
  • Questions and answers regarding the service
  • Our methods of production and the manner in which we deliver the service.

As with many things there is more to this than meets the eye. Associations should be careful that there solution is a comprehensive one that adds value.

Turn this annoyance into a positive thing for your community.


“Keith,

Blade Runners have been here all morning. I have been outside since 9:00 working on a patio and side garden project so I had an opportunity to observe the workers. Here is my assessment: Perfect. There is not a leaf on the property and these young men work very hard. I even asked them to be careful not to blow towards my garden and they were extremely respectful and courteous. From my perspective, Blade Runners hit a home run today.”

Jeanie
Chancery Square Resident


Dear Eric,

Your e-mail notifications are among the Blade Runners features I most treasure, after you, Mike, Raul and our several crews. Your e-mail notices help me monitor our contract, and I want them to continue to enter my mailbox. Previously, Elaine Ely was my colleague on the Grounds Committee, but she quit a few years ago, so she does not need to receive your notices anymore. I think I asked Raul to cancel e-mails to her sometime last year, and it appeared that had happened. So if you can pick up from there, that would be good. Otherwise, leave me on your list and delete Elaine. She still cares, but she has chosen not to be involved on the “responsible” level, so she should be off the list.

I also hope you got your billing situation straightened out. For the first three 2011 payments, you billed Sycamore Ridge Condo Association at the 2010 rate. We have since paid the arrearage, so I hope billing is now on track too.

Not that it matters, but I got two of the appended e-mails from you. Identical. I just thought you’d want to know.

Jo Allen

President, Sycamore Ridge Condominium Association

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