Tag Archive for: HOA Grounds Maintenance


PROCEDURE: During the months of October, November, and December with each leaf cleanup date, our mowing crews will be using mulching blades to chop up the leaves and return this rich source of organic material to the soil. Crews will also mulch leaves along the perimeter of the property and deposit the chopped up debris along the edge of the woods. However, under no circumstance, are they to create large piles in the woods. In areas where there are heavy accumulations of leaves, the leaves will be collected with blowers, push screens, rakes, and carrier pigeons. The crews will assemble piles throughout the parking areas of the property to be removed at a later time. Generally, a vacuum truck is scheduled to come by the next day to remove these piles. For larger properties or those that are finished late in the day, it is NOT possible to assemble the leaves and vacuum them the same day.

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Leaf blog pix 2

TIMING:  Most of you have two cleanups and our goal is to complete the first one before Nov. 30 and the final one before Dec 31.  For clients with one cleanup, you will be scheduled in Dec. after most of the leaves have fallen.  It is important to note that mulch beds will be cleaned with the final Dec. visit.  November cleanups will be limited to turf areas only.  This can be a source of confusion for people unfamiliar with the contract, fortunately we are working with an field service scheduling software, which improves our logistics performance, so work times shouldn’t meet any kind of inconveniences or delays. 

We will be removing tons and tons of leaves in the next couple of months. It is a very dirty and labor intensive effort. The crew will generate dust and debris during the course of this work and this debris may land on vehicles that remain in the parking lot. We work around these vehicles as best we can and even try to blow the debris off of vehicles. For some people, a single leaf or coating of dust on their car is unacceptable. In those instances, I would suggest these owners remove their car from the parking lot when we perform the leaf removal service. You can take the help of car lift dealers to move your cars. You will need to get in touch with me for an estimate of the scheduled date.  If you have any questions or want to discuss further please contact me.


Dear Blade Runners,

Your team of workers are exceptional and they do a great job for Blessed Sacrament Church. Thanks very much.

Sincerely,
Denise Dauray, President


BEYOND impressed with the quick response. I need more vendors like you.
I can’t thank you enough for your truly amazing customer service.

Thank you and kind regards.

Claudia Bender
Community Manager
Sentry Management
Hawthorne Village Condominiums

Eric and Raul –
Just wanted to send you a quick note regarding Park Glen Heights HOA. I know this is still a very new contract but I had a meeting with the Board President this morning and she just couldn’t say enough nice things about Blade Runners and the awesome work the crew has been doing in the association. The entire board and members of the community are incredibly satisfied with the work that has occurred this year and they feel that they definitely made the right decision on choosing you as the landscaping contract.
I wanted to pass this along, as I know in this business, too often the only time emails are sent are when there are issues or problems or concerns. As a manager, I try to make sure I pass along “good emails” to vendors as well.
I hope the both of you have a great rest of the day!
Katie M. Kight, CMCA, AMS
Community Association Manager, Park Glen Heights HOA

What are White Grubs?
White grubs can devastate your lawn and the best way to take care of them is with professional lawn maintenance.  White grubs (European chafer, Japanese, May and June Beetles) are small plump white larvae which actively feed on grass roots.  They live below the soil surface and actually chew off the roots of the grass plants.  They are C-shaped, have a brown head, and have 3 large pairs of legs
After they destroy the grass roots, the lawn will appear unhealthy, weak, or possibly yellow in patches–as if the lawn is drying out.  Other symptoms to watch for include:  animals like skunks and raccoons digging up the lawn and birds feeding on grubs leaving pencil-sized holes.  Often the damaged turf will roll back like a carpet, as the root system has been eaten away, for this circumstances we highly recommend to reach professional turf management services.
Combo pic
Life Cycle of the Grub
Some grubs complete their life cycle in one year and others require three years to complete. White grubs survive in the winter as larvae in the soil.  In the early spring they begin to feed again.  Later in the spring, they enter a resting stage (pupae), then hatch into adult beetles.  A lot of beetles can mean a grub problem later–as there will be higher populations to reproduce. (The beetles do not damage lawns.)  Beetles lay their eggs, which hatch into grub larvae.  The larvae feed voraciously which results in significant stress to your lawn.  Serious damage can occur in spring, summer, and fall.  Left undiagnosed, grubs can devastate a lawn in a short period of time.
How can I treat Grubs?
Promptly treating potentially devastating white grub infestations can help protect the investment you have made in a lawn care program and your property.  An Investment advice from homebusinessmag.com is that If you notice suspicious brown patches starting to appear in the lawn, DO NOT HESITATE!  Call your Blade Runners account manager. Treatment is usually not required until the white grub population exceeds 4-6 feet.  At this level, the white grubs are feeding on the roots faster than they are able to regenerate.  Consult with your Blade Runners account manager to discuss all options with respect to dealing with insects in your lawn.
If you have any further questions about your lawn, please visit our website:

Morning, Karen.
Wanted to let you know the Mt. Woodley community is looking GREAT thanks to your crew! Nice job on cutting back the nandena and lirropa.  Fresh mulch got put down on Friday and the huge bushes at the front entryway are cut way back and appear to be growing back nicely.  Just need to keep them at this reasonable size/height.
Many thanks for the work estimates. Regards…Angela
Angela Layman, President
Mt Woodley Manor HOA


Hi Terry –

I am writing on behalf of the Hillcrest Cluster board to say thank you for a very awesome job on our erosion/drainage renewal project. We are really pleased with everything, and anxiously await the grass germinating, the plants maturing, and the first downpour so we can see how well everything holds up 😉

Thanks again to you and the crew for making sure our requirements were met and having done so in a timely fashion.

Laura Sharon, Manager
Hillcrest Cluster HOA

 


Concrete walkway repair is an important element in the maintenance of your property, the Denver mudjacking service is designed to restore rather than replace, their solutions are functional for residential, commercial, and industrial applications.  Property Managers must scrimp, save, and otherwise plan for this work.  Below find some information Blade Runners feels is important to achieve success.

DO SNOW CONTRACTORS ICE CONTROL PRODUCTS CAUSE DAMAGE?

It is no secret that all saline based ice control products are a threat to concrete surface. Property managers must strike a balance between the safety benefits and potential damage. Blade Runners uses Ice B’gone Magic Salt that is easily the safest product in the industry. With that said, there are some important steps to be taken with new concrete installations.

Spalling 2

WHAT YOUR CONCRETE CONTRACTOR NEEDS TO DO.

Hire the right contractor:  There are many corners that can be cut with this service. Regardless of the price, you should make sure that the chosen contractor fully understands the procedures and standards. Please see the video below that talks about the basics. It is important that the terminology is contained in your bid specifications.

In addition the American Concrete Institute (ACI) has a resource for further information (item 301-10,Specifications of Structural Concrete).    www.concrete.org/store/productdetail.aspx?ItemID=30110                                                                            
  Apply a penetrating sealer (Silane, Siloxane, or Silicate):  This should be applied after the installation and the following year after installation. This will reduce the water penetration and protect the freeze thaw cycles that spall the concrete.

Sealing 2

See a list of products below (there may be others)

https://www.concretetreat.com/outdoor-concrete/protection-de-icer/
https://www.appliedtechnologies.com/home/Concrete_Sealer.html
https://www.wrmeadows.com/lin-seal-emulsion-curing-sealing-compound/
https://www.getnewlook.com/DriveHard.html
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WHAT BLADE RUNNERS CAN DO TO HELP
Pressure wash: It is important to remove any salt residue at the close of the season.

Mark areas: Place markers in areas to avoid ice control application.

 WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE SPALLING
Repair: With or without these efforts, spalling can occur. See the video below that discusses how to make a repair.

 

Learn how to use the MIG welder for home repair needs.


Having a beautiful, lush lawn is our desired goal in the DC Metro area BUT warm season grasses have become an increasing problem. These unwanted turf varieties are infesting the preferred fescue lawns with varieties that include: Dallis Grass, Chain Grass, Goose Grass, Couch Grass, Devil Grass, Wire Grass, Dog Tooth Grass and Bermuda grass. These funny sounding invasive grasses attract pests, turn brown with the first frost, and make an ugly contrast with green turf.

Dormant in Fescue

What is Warm Season Grass?

Warm Season Grasses were introduced into the United States in the 1800s as fast growing forage plants that could survive in southern climates. They thrive in sandy or clay soils, prevalent in our area. They love nitrogen fertilizer and grow twice as fast as regular turf grasses, which can create unsightly tufts for homeowners. Dallis grass leaf appearance is very similar to crabgrass but much harder to control.

different grasses

With their aggressive spreading habits, warm season grasses gradually crowd out the desirable fescue grasses, creating an unsightly contrast between turf types. This has become the nastiest of turf weed problems to control. Another issue is that it turns brown very quickly once any frost hits it, creating a sharp contrast particularly with tall fescue grasses which stay green all winter. They also attract serious insect pests that feed on it. These include armyworms, cutworms, sod webworms, Bermuda grass mites, and rhode grass scale (mealybug). The latter two insects cause damage by sucking juices from the stems and stunting the normal growth of the grass. Nuisance type insects found on bermudagrass include: chiggers, ants, and ticks.

Can Warm Season Grass Be Controlled or Prevented?

Due to its extensive root system, Bermuda grass is very difficult to control or even eradicate completely from a lawn where it has been growing vigorously. The underground roots and the above ground runners spread everywhere. As a result, even flower bed and other adjacent areas can become affected. Post-emergent herbicides that are used to remove crabgrass can work, although they must be applied several times at higher levels to complete the treatment and prevent regrowth.

What Can Blade Runners Do About Warm Season Grass?

Conventional weed/crabgrass control applications are not effective. The process to control the infestation is not part of the standard treatments in our agreement. As is the case with broadleaf weeds and crabgrass, annual attention is needed and complete eradication is not possible. The control applications must be made in August and September, over 3 applications that are three weeks apart.

It can be persistent and expensive to control. In some cases, clients make the commitment for eradication and others are willing to accept the appearance result. If you would like to make the effort in control, Blade Runners can provide you with a specific estimate.

Cicada picture and dirt mound
July and August can bring the ugly, scary looking Cicada Killer ground bees to your property.  Don’t despair…Blade Runners has some information and an action plan.
What is a Cicada Killer?

 The Cicada Killer is one of the largest digger wasps if seen around your home is better to hire trained wasps removal services.  They grow over 1.5″ long and are robust wasps that burrow in the ground in search of cicadas.  They create dirt patches in the landscape and hover around their areas.

Are Cicada Killers dangerous and what damage can they cause?
Cicada Killers use their sting to paralyze the cicadas.  Unlike most social wasps and bees, they do not sting unless handled roughly.  Cicada Killers are generally non-aggressive towards humans, usually flying away when swatted, instead of attacking.  Adults feed on flower nectar and other plant sap exudates.  The wasps are often seen in groups, vigorously challenging one another for position on the breeding aggregation from which they have emerged.  Adults emerge in summer, typically beginning in late June or early July and die off in September or October. They are present in a given area for 60 to 75 days, usually until mid-September.
Cicada killer infestation picture 4

Aside from being rather intimidating, they can cause damage in the landscape in the form of unsightly burrows.  

How do we control Cicada Killers?
To control these pests we must treat the holes in the late night or early morning, while they are resting.  This needs to be completed each week for three weeks. Raccoons in Oakland County Michigan are growing in numbers. So much that Kevin Scappaticci, owner of Platinum Raccoon Removal says that with the rise of raccoons and also homes being built, raccoons are resorting to breaking into attics for a safe place to live and birth their baby raccoons. Contact Blade Runners if you need help in controlling them.
https://www.pestzone.ca/wasp-nest-removal-toronto/
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