Denison Landscaping & Nursery, Inc.

Welcome to Denison Landscaping & Nursery Quality Assurance Division (QAD) Warranty request. The objective of QAD is to warranty the workmanship of all jobs created by Denison. The QAD services and warranties all jobs completed by crews among the different divisions within the company i.e.; Homebuilding – new houses, Residential Sales, and Commercial projects .

WARRANTY POLICY:

The trees and shrubs that were installed are guaranteed for a period of one (1) year from the date of installation. The plant material has been inspected and certified before and during the planting, and care has been exercised by our company to ensure proper planting procedures. Please note however, there are several circumstances in which the material will not be covered under any warranty. They are as follows:

Plant material that has been found to have died from lack of water or lack of maintenance
Plant material that has been damaged by animals or acts of vandalism.
Plant material damaged by any “Act of God” that we have no control over, i.e.: winter-burn, windburn, drought, flooding, etc.
Plant material found to be damaged by insect infestation. The plant material has been inspected and certified to American Nurseryman Standards and Specifications. Our plants are guaranteed to be insect free at time of planting.
Annuals and Perennials are seasonal and die at the end of the season and are not covered under any warranty.
Any plant material that has been pulled out or cut down prior to inspection

PLEASE NOTE THAT SOD AND SEED ARE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY. BOTH REQUIRE ATTENTION AND PROPER MAINTENANCE ON A DAILY BASIS. LACK OF PROPER MAINTENANCE FOR ONE DAY COULD CAUSE BOTH OF THESE ITEMS TO DIE.

ANY SERVICE/WARRANTY REQUEST THAT IS LISTED ABOVE WILL NEED TO BE REFERRED BACK TO THE PARTY THAT CONTRACTED THE WORK TO BE COMPLETED. THIS WORK WILL BE CONSIDERED EXTRA WORK AND REQUIRE A SEPARATE CONTRACT.

Click here to send us an e-mail.

CARE OF YOUR NEWLY INSTALLED LAWN

Denison Landscaping has recently completed lawn work for you. Until the lawn is established, you will need to provide adequate watering and care. Below are instructions for you to follow to assist with this.

WATERING SEED AND SOD

  Watering must be started immediately after the sod is installed. It is essential that enough water be put down the first time to thoroughly soak the sod and the soil under the sod. You can check the moisture content by lifting up a flap of the sod and sticking your finger into the soil. It should be moist several inches deep. By giving the sod a heavy first watering you will rid the sodded area of pockets, which dry out the sod. Pay special attention to the corners and edges of newly sodded areas, they tend to dry out sooner and they are hard to water properly. You may have to hand water these areas.
  If a newly sodded area accidentally does dry out it will probably turn brown. It is not dead, and will green up in about two weeks with proper water application.
  After the first watering, water enough to keep the soil under the sod moist, not muddy. In cool weather this may mean watering only every 3 or 4 days, in very hot weather you may have to water daily. Do not allow the sod or soil underneath to dry out completely between watering.
  In about 2 weeks the sod should have begun to knit to the soil underneath and the watering can be lessened to once or twice per week depending on the weather conditions. Water anytime the sod has a dry pale blue gray color or if the grass does not spring back after walking on it.
  It is important to know that frequent shallow waterings are not good for your lawn. They cause the root system to grow near the surface. Water less often but water deeply. Over time the roots will follow the water down into the soil and you will have a lush healthy turf.

SEEDED LAWNS

  For newly seeded lawns, it is important to water daily for the first two weeks. If you have a ?" of rain or more skip that day. The best time to water is in the morning and late afternoon. Do not water at night as it may promote fungal growth.
  Once the grass has started, water 2-3 times per week or more in hot, dry weather. It is important to keep the new seed moist, but not saturated. If your lawn has straw mulch on top, you may reduce your watering time and possibly frequency as the straw helps to hold moisture.
  Before the grass has reached 4", carefully rake away excess straw if any. You may now mow your seeded area at a mowing height of 3" and follow our mowing instructions.

MOWING

  About two weeks after installation, your new lawn may need mowing. It is important to let your lawn dry out for a day or two so it firms up a bit before going over it with a heavy machine. Make sure that the mowing height is set at about 3". Letting your lawn grow a little longer is good for the grass because it encourages a strong root system. Never mow shorter than 2" and never remove more than 1/3 of the grass leaf at any one mowing. Using a mulching mower is a great idea. It returns the clippings to the lawn so they can decompose and provide added nutrients. Mulching also solves the grass clipping disposal problem. It is also important to keep the mower sharp. A dull blade will shred the tops of the grass blades, discolor the lawn and invite disease. The mower blade should be sharpened once or twice a year.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR NEWLY INSTALLED LANDSCAPE

Denison Landscaping has recently completed work for you. Newly planted shrubs and trees need extra care until they are established. Below are easy care instructions to assist with proper growth and development.

WATERING TREES AND SHRUBS

  If there is less than 1 inch of rainfall per week, water as follows:
  Trees will need to be watered two times per week in hot, dry weather and one time in cooler weather. Water for 3 to 5 minutes or until water starts to flow out of the hole.
  Shrubs will need to be watered two times per week in hot, dry weather and one time per week in cooler weather. Water each shrub for 2 to 3 minutes.

FERTILIZER - TREES AND SHRUBS

  Your newly planted trees and shrubs have been fertilized. We recommend the following fertilization schedule for your trees, shrubs, and groundcover:

Deciduous trees – Evergreen trees
When: 12 months after planting
Type: Tree stakes or full purpose granular feed according to package directions.
Deciduous shrubs – Evergreen shrubs
When: Fall: September 1-15; Spring: March 15 – April 15
Type: balance fertilizer like 10-10-10
Groundcover
When: September 1-15 and March 15 – April 15
Type: Liquid Miracle Gro, Rapid Gro or Peters 20-20-20
2-3 applications 2 weeks apart
Annuals-Perennials
When: Spring through June
Type: Liquid fertilizer, similar to groundcover instructions. Work granular fertilizer (like 10-10-10) into soil when planting.

STAKES

  Your newly staked trees are to remain stakes for 12 months. This allows the trees to stabilize in the soil and start root growth.

PREPARATION FOR WINTER

  In the late fall up to mid-December evergreens should be thoroughly watered and mulched, if necessary and is the owners' responsibility. This will ensure that your plants have a reserve of water to help replenish what they loose in the crisp winter winds. The mulch (2-3" deep) will keep the water in the soil rather than evaporating and will moderate soil temperature, protecting the plant's roots. During dry, mild winter months, watering may be necessary.
  If you have any questions or concerns about your plants, please give us a call at (301) 567-0210. Come by and visit our Nursery at 8911 Oxon Hill Road, Ft. Washington, Maryland for your additional plant needs.

PLANTING TREES & SHRUBS

INSTALLATION METHODS:

Dig a hole 2 to 2.5 times greater than the diameter of the root ball (refer to figure 1). Do not dig the planting hole any deeper than the root ball is long because the soil that you disturb will eventually settle causing the plant to also settle too deep. Preparing the hole 1 – 2” too shallow will doubly ensure that your plant will not sink too deep to breathe.
Amend the existing soil that you remove with approximately 25% organic matter. Recommended sources of organic matter are BLACK FOREST, BUMPER CROP, PEATMOSS, & COMPOST.
If planting balled & burlaped plant material, completely remove all burlap and rope from around the root ball before planting. If planting a container grown plant, gently break-up the root ball from the base and sides of the foot mass. If the plant is too root-bound, you will need to “butterfly” the roots by vertically splitting open the bottom of the root mass (refer to figure 2).
Correctly position the plant upright in the center of your planting hole.
Backfill the planting hole with your prepared soil mix. Tamp the backfill, & then thoroughly water to ensure that the soil has settled.
We recommend using a new transplant starter, such as Master Nursery Root Master B-1. These chemicals have been enriched with beneficial additives to help stimulate root growth & development.
All disturbed soil must then be finished off with 2-3” of mulching material to prevent soil erosion & moisture loss.
Continued post-transplant care will provide your new transplant with a better chance of survival. Be sure to water the plant regularly for the first growing season. Watering requirements will vary with the weather cycles. To determine if your plant needs watering, place your hand under the mulching & into the soil. If moist, wait to water. If dry, place your garden hose on a slow trickle at the base of the trunk & allow it to remain there for approximately 15 minutes. This will ensure an adequate, deep watering which will also encourage deep root development.

LIVING FACTORS

Is the problem spreading gradually?

Insects

Do the leaves have brown spots, holes, or chewed edges?
Are the leaves turning pale green or yellow?
Is there more than one kind of insect present?
Are there holes in stems, branches or trunk?
Are there girdled/dead stems, or root damage?
Are the leaves spotted or stippling?

Fungus and Disease

Are there round leaf spots, stem rots with a dry/papery texture, concentric rings, discoloration, or wilting? Fungal pathogen

Are there swollen areas, irregularly shaped leaf spots, yellow wilting, or wet rot?
Bacterial disease

Is the yellowing or mottling, stunting, distortion, or dieback or part of the plant?
Viral pathogen

Pets and Human vandalism

Is the stem/trunk badly damaged?

Has anyone sprayed weed killer in the area?

Is your dog deprived of fire hydrants?

NON-LIVING FACTORS

Has the problem occurred suddenly and in a particular spot or plant?

Mechanical Problems

Are the stems or roots broken or girdled?

Are the leaves bruised, punctured, or broken?

Physical Problems

Is there a lack of new growth? Cold damage

Are leaves yellowing, reduced in growth, dead or dropping? Rapid change in light intensity

Do leaf tips appear to be scorched? Excessive heat

Is the tree or shrub wilting, yellowing, or shredding leaves? Drought or water logging

Is there leaf burn, distortion, yellowing, or bleaching? Excessive rates of pesticides or fertilizer

Is there yellowing, stunting, or death of older plant leaves or new growth? Nutrient deficiencies

Click on the images to view a larger display of our elegant colors, shapes and patterns.