Tag Archive for: HOA Landscaping


We saw your most recent report and hope you know that we are very grateful for your great service.  Please do not think that we believe anything different.  We know your crews are operating in extraordinary conditions.  The most important thing is the safety of you and your crews.  Please have them get some rest. The storm will pass.  We will dig out.  If it takes a couple of days, so what?  Please assure your crews that we appreciate all they have done.  There is an emergency lane in our community if we needed it. That is all we need.  Everything else will dig out, when you can. Please take heart that we believe you have done great work in terrible conditions with a storm that we will all remember for many years to come.

W Morris
Board member of the Chancery Square Homeowners’ Board
Fairfax, VA


Line Trimmers are a great piece of equipment! They save countless hours of time compared to manual trimming methods. As a result, property owners save valuable budget dollars on the cost of their service. 

1 Line Trimmer photo

Unfortunately they can be the most damaging piece of equipment on the work site. Unprotected items such as light, fence and mail box posts, siding, and air conditioner units can suffer damage in the long term. 

2 Damage photos

 

It can be a real challenge for contractors to avoid damage on items that are not protected. Blade Runners does take extra measures with training and even uses growth regulator products to reduce damage. We also warn our clients in our contracts that we are not responsible for damage that does not have an 18” border of protection. 

3 Spec

Blade Runners suggests you further protect your property.  There are some simple protection solutions that are not costly but can make a big difference. Take a look at some before and after photos. 

Mailboxes:4 Mailbox photos insert

Deck Posts:

Deck post inserts 2

Lamp Posts:  Lamp post insers 2

 Air Conditioner Units:  

7 AC units insert

Siding:

It is essential to know how to replace vinyl siding and to get a professional to help you with the job to make it with a better material and of the style you like, remember there are  an incredible number of choices from fiber cement to vinyl to engineered wood siding.

8 Siding photos insert

Contact Blade Runners for a free assessment of your entire property. 

 


Blade Runners is in a position to provide Totes and Buckets filled with Ice B’Gone Magic Salt. We offer a service where the items are placed on your property at the start of the season, replenished as the season progresses, and removed/stored for the next season.

We have found our clients like to have this on hand to deal with specific problems. It can save you money from calling us out for very small service items. 

Tote Pix 3

Please contact us if you would like a plan for this service.

 


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

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
 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

© 2024 Copyright - Blade Runners