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Spirea are some of the toughest and most rewarding shrubs we have in our Minnesota landscapes. They are reliable, low-maintenance, and offer beautiful flowers and foliage. However, to keep them looking their best and prevent them from becoming overgrown, proper pruning is key.
The most common question we get is, "When is the best time to trim my spirea?" The answer depends entirely on one simple thing: when does it bloom?
Spirea are divided into two main groups, and their pruning schedules are completely different.
1. Spring-Blooming Spirea (Blooms on "Old Wood")
These are the classic, old-fashioned types with cascading branches that are covered in white flowers in the spring, often before the leaves are fully out.
When to Prune: The rule is the same as for lilacs: prune them immediately after they finish flowering in late spring.
Why: As the University of Minnesota Extension explains, these spirea form their flower buds on the wood that grew the previous year. If you prune them in the fall, winter, or early spring, you will cut off all the buds and get no flowers. A light trim right after blooming gives them the whole season to produce the wood that will carry next year's blooms.
2. Summer-Blooming Spirea (Blooms on "New Wood")
These are the most common types found in modern landscapes, known for their pink, red, or white flowers that appear in summer, often...
As the crisp autumn air arrives here in Northwest Minnesota, it’s tempting to think the lawn care season is over. The frantic growth of summer slows, and many homeowners believe they can save a little by skipping that final lawn application.
However, at Miller Yard Care, we want to let you in on a professional secret. We don't think of the fall treatment as the "last" application of the year. We consider it the first, and most important, application for next year's lawn.
This single treatment is what truly sets the stage for success. Based on decades of research from experts at Purdue University, the University of Minnesota Extension, and other leading institutions, this application performs three critical jobs that guarantee a healthier lawn next spring.
While the top growth of your grass is slowing down, the roots are working overtime. Fall is when cool-season grasses are actively storing energy and developing their root systems for winter.
Promotes Root Growth and Energy Storage: The specialized, slow-release fertilizer we use is designed to be absorbed by the plant and stored as energy reserves in the root system. This is the single most important factor for winter survival and a quick spring green-up. Instead of forcing vulnerable top growth, we are building a stronger foundation underground.
Improves Turf Density: A key benefit of fall fertilization,...
Here in the Detroit Lakes area, our lawns have worked hard all summer. They’ve endured heat, heavy foot traffic from backyard barbecues, and maybe even some dry spells. As we head into the final weeks of summer, many homeowners think about giving their lawn a break until spring.
But what if you could do more than just help your lawn recover? What if you could fundamentally rebuild it?
At Miller Yard Care, we offer an elite lawn renovation service that goes beyond simple seeding. Our philosophy is simple: a great lawn isn't just grown on top of the ground, it's built from the soil up. By combining the proven power of compost, aeration, and elite seed with cutting-edge soil science, we transform the very foundation of your lawn.
The first step in our process is top dressing the entire lawn with a thin, quarter-inch layer of rich, organic compost. This isn't fertilizer; it's something much more important. Experts from premier agricultural universities across the Midwest, including Purdue University Extension, emphasize that the main benefit of compost is its remarkable ability to improve soil structure.
Purdue experts explain that adding compost:
Improves Soil Structure: It binds with heavy clay or loose sandy soil, creating a perfect crumbly texture.2 This increases soil aeration and improves water-holding capacity, creating a better environment for...
Here in the Detroit Lakes area, our lawns have worked hard all summer. They’ve endured heat, heavy foot traffic from backyard barbecues, and maybe even some dry spells. As we head into the final weeks of summer, many homeowners think about giving their lawn a break until spring.
But what if we told you that the single most important thing you can do for a lush, green lawn next year happens right now?
According to turfgrass experts at leading Midwest universities, late summer is the "golden window" for aeration and overseeding. It’s the professional’s secret to lawn renovation, and today we’ll explain why.
First, let's talk about the foundation. At Miller Yard Care, we use an advanced aeration process. Our specialized machine uses vibrating steel tines to create deep channels into the soil. This action fractures and loosens compacted ground without pulling messy plugs to the surface, allowing your lawn’s root system to breathe.
Your lawn's roots can get choked out by two things over the summer: soil compaction and thatch buildup. As the University of Minnesota Extension notes, aeration solves these problems by creating pathways for air, water, and nutrients to get deep into the root zone. This encourages deeper, stronger root growth and a more resilient lawn.
Overseeding is exactly what it sounds like:...
We all love the look and smell of a freshly mowed lawn. It’s the centerpiece of a beautiful landscape. But have you ever noticed that sometimes, a day or two after mowing, the tips of your grass turn a little brown or frayed?
Many people blame the weather or a lack of water, but the real culprit is often hiding in plain sight: a dull mower blade.
At Miller Yard Care, we believe that the quality of our cut is just as important as the quality of our equipment. It’s why we take an extra step that most others don’t. Today, we want to pull back the curtain and show you why the sharpness of our mower blades is the secret to a truly healthy, vibrant lawn.
To understand the importance of a sharp blade, turfgrass experts at leading universities like Purdue University and the University of Minnesota Extension use a simple analogy: imagine surgery. A surgeon uses a sharp scalpel to make a clean incision that heals quickly. A dull blade is like trying to do the same job with a butter knife—it tears, shreds, and causes excessive damage.
Your grass is a living organism, and the same principle applies.
A sharp blade slices cleanly through the grass leaf, creating a tiny wound that the plant can seal and heal quickly.
A dull blade rips and tears the grass, leaving a large, ragged wound.
This single...
Hello neighbors!
With the recent stretch of hot and humid weather, you might be noticing some unusual spots, colors, or textures showing up in your lawn. While it’s easy to blame insects or drought, you could be looking at a common turfgrass fungus.
Fungi are a natural part of any lawn's ecosystem, but under the right conditions—like the heat and humidity we’ve been experiencing—they can multiply and become visible, causing aesthetic damage or, in some cases, serious harm to your turf.
These fungi primarily affect the blades of the grass, not the crown or the roots. While they can look alarming, they rarely kill the grass and can often be managed with good cultural practices.
If you see irregular, pinkish-red patches on your lawn, you might have Red Thread. Upon closer inspection, you'll notice red, thread-like strands extending from the tips of the grass blades.
What it is: A foliar disease that is most common in the cool, wet weather of spring and fall.
Threat Level: Low. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, Red Thread is a cosmetic issue and does not harm the roots or crown of the plant. Lawns typically recover.
Key Cause: A primary cause is low nitrogen fertility. If your lawn is under-fertilized, it's more susceptible.
Treatment: The best control is proper fertilization. A balanced fertility program usually ...
Are you frustrated with your old sprinkler system? Do you see it watering the lawn during a downpour, or worry about your landscape's health when you're away? It's time to stop wasting water and start watering with intelligence. The Hunter Hydrawise irrigation controller is a game-changing upgrade that will save you money and give you a healthier, more beautiful landscape.
Many people think a rain sensor makes their system "smart." But a traditional controller with a rain sensor is only reactive. It shuts off your sprinklers after it has already started raining, and it has no idea what the weather will be like in an hour.
The Hydrawise controller is truly proactive. It doesn't just react to past rain; it uses a "Virtual Weather Station" that pulls data from satellites, local weather stations, and atmospheric data to know what the weather will be like at your specific location. It's like having a personal meteorologist for your lawn!
Predictive Watering Saves You Money: By analyzing local weather forecasts, the Hydrawise system knows if rain is coming and will skip the watering cycle before it's needed. This proactive approach is how it can save you up to 50% on your water bills compared to a traditional system.
Control from Anywhere: With the user-friendly Hydrawise app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer, you can manage your...
Here in the Detroit Lakes area, our oak trees are a cornerstone of our local scenery and the pride of our properties. Across the beautiful landscapes of Otter Tail and Becker counties, these majestic trees provide shade, beauty, and value. But they also face serious threats, including our tough Minnesota climate, compacted soil, and damaging insects.
At Miller Yard Care, we have a tool to protect your valuable oaks: Plant Growth Regulators, or PGRs. It's a simple treatment with game-changing benefits for tree health. Let's explore how it works and why it’s a crucial service for keeping your oaks strong.
Think of a Plant Growth Regulator as a "smart supplement" for your tree. It’s a professional treatment that Miller Yard Care applies at the base of the tree down in the roots. The PGR works by signaling the oak to slow down its canopy growth—the leaves and branches.
But that energy doesn't just vanish. Instead, the tree redirects that energy below ground to its root system and into its own defense systems. It's a strategic shift that builds a healthier, more resilient tree from the inside out.
When an oak tree focuses its energy on its core health instead of just getting taller, the results are incredible. This is the professional oak tree care your Detroit...
Here in the Detroit Lakes area, our oak trees are more than just part of the landscape; they are majestic giants that define our properties, lakefronts, and wooded areas. From the mighty bur oak to the stately red oak, these trees are a cornerstone of our beautiful Minnesota environment. But a hidden threat is putting our oaks at risk, especially after periods of drought or stress. It’s called the Twolined Chestnut Borer, and it’s a pest every local homeowner should know about.
At Miller Yard Care, we're seeing an increasing number of oak trees around Detroit Lakes showing signs of decline. Often, the culprit is this destructive insect. The good news is that with early detection and proper care, you can take steps to protect your valuable trees.
The twolined chestnut borer (Agrilus bilineatus) is a native flatheaded wood-boring beetle. While it's a native insect, its populations can surge, particularly when oak trees are stressed. Recent drought years in Minnesota have created the perfect conditions for this pest to thrive, as stressed trees have fewer defenses against attack.
Information from leading regional institutions like the University of Minnesota Extension and the University of Wisconsin-Madison highlights that this borer primarily targets oaks that are already weakened by factors such as:
Drought stress
Construction damage to roots
Soil compaction
Storm damage
Birch trees are Minnesota favorites, but they have two major enemies that can cause serious damage. If your birch tree looks sick, one of these pests is likely the cause. Here’s what to look for.
This is the most dangerous pest for birch trees in our area. It works under the bark, cutting off the tree's life supply.
Look for these warning signs:
Thinning Leaves: The top of the tree starts to look thin and weak.
Dying Branches: Branches at the top of the tree begin to die and lose their leaves.
D-Shaped Holes: You might see small, D-shaped holes in the bark.
A Bronze Birch Borer attack is a serious threat to your tree's survival. Early detection is everything.
This pest won't kill a healthy tree on its own, but it weakens it significantly, making it an easy target for the deadly Bronze Birch Borer.
Look for these warning signs:
Brown Blotches: Leaves develop ugly, brown patches that look like blisters.
"Scorched" Look: The whole tree can look brown and scorched by mid-summer.
Early Leaf Drop: The tree may lose its leaves long before fall.
Spotting these symptoms is the first step, but a correct diagnosis is key to saving your tree. The only way to know for sure what’s wrong and...
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