BY CHARLES DAVIS
cedavis@greenbaypressgazette.com

Children aren’t the only ones hoping to get on a good list for the holidays. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you should expect a visit from an area snow remover.

Signing up early for services can get you preferred treatment when your driveway starts to look like the frozen tundra. And if you dare take on Mother Nature by yourself, here are a few tips to keep you safe.

Early bird

Homeowners can sign up for one-time snow removal or seasonal service, said Matthew Kispert, owner of Sawyer’s Tree Service in De Pere. Seasonal subscribers can get Kispert to come out every time it snows at least one inch. They also can get a 10 percent discount, which can save $5 to $10 each time it snows.

“The best thing to do is plan ahead and get on our list before the snow storm,” he said.

Those on the seasonal list also get served before those who call the day of the storm.

Clear the path

Kispert comes equipped with snowblowers, and he shovels off driveways and sidewalks leading up to the home. He even takes care of edges leading to garages and can shovel off your porch.

“Salt is optional, but even the ones that don’t want it, if there’s bad spots, we put it in for free,” he said. A bad spot consists of ice patches on the sidewalk.

“Once in a while, people will have us clear a path for a dog,” he said.

Snow stretch

If the snow isn’t bad enough to call out professionals, be equipped for some taxing activity, said Jason Pienta, owner of Heartland Construction & Services in Green Bay.

“Just stretch out before you go shovel,” he said. “If you can’t grab your toes standing up, I don’t think you should be shoveling snow.”

Necessary tools include at least one good shovel, a snowblower if you can afford it and rock salt, Kispert said.

Each year, people report heart attacks while shoveling, so take breaks if you do it yourself. “We’re prepared to stand the wet, the cold, the windy conditions,” Kispert said. “We have the right equipment for it.”

Call of duty

You don’t have to be a lazy bum to call on snow removers. Many customers simply didn’t plan ahead or couldn’t “get the kids out of bed to shovel snow,” Kispert said. Other clients live out of town or aren’t physically able to do it.

Up on the rooftop

Refusing to remove the snow at all will have you feeling ho-hum during the holidays, Pienta said. Snow left on the roof can create ice in the gutters — known as ice dams — and work its way back into your shingles. When the ice melts, it can rain inside your home. “It’s a pretty big thing,” he said.

It’s also not a good idea to let snow pack down in your driveway. “It can damage the underside of your car if you drive it through snow,” Kispert said.

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If weeds have begun to grow between the rows I suggest a Warren Hoe, it has a sharp pointed blade that just right for removing small weeds in between rows and making furrows. If you have a large area that needs weeding use a Dutch hoe it easy to use with a simple pushes and pulls action.

Large stubborn weeds may sometimes require several applications of a good Herbicide or even chemicals to get rid of them completely. The use of herbicides however is tricky because you have to be careful as to spray the individual plant to prevent the spray from getting unto other vegetation. If your only other option is to kill the vegetation and all around it, then there are many sprays on the market that can do the job.

Persistent weeds like Dandelions, Poison Ivy, Creeping Buttercup, Plantain and Pearlwort may and usually require several applications before they are eradicated completely. If your garden is in an area where mulching isn’t very feasible then hoeing is still the best way to keep the area clear from weeds.

If you decide to uses sprays to kill weeds, do your spraying on a day when there is little wind to help prevent insecticides from traveling to and killing your garden and ornamental plants. As with any spray the most effective way to use them is by simply following the manufacturer’s suggestions.

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Service

You deserve a company that is responsive to you! Our maintenance organizations allows us to do that. Our horticulturists are directly responsible for scheduling, production, and quality control. As a result, they will react quickly and efficiently to your request.

Creativity

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is “that little extra”. Our extensive knowledge of plant material, color, and texture combined with our knowledge of plant performance guaratees traffic stopping color displays.

Teamwork

We are a team of professionals who demand excellence and provide quality beyond expectations. SECT will work with you to meet your goals. Our team and maintenance managers are committed to the idea that Together Everyone Achieves More.

Results

A consistent image for your property – an image that reflects quality and professionalism. We will strive to meet your objectives as well as those of your property managers, asset managers, and owners. The result will be an exterior environment that is pleasing to tenants and will maximize the investment of clients.

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S.E.CT Landscaping Company offers a proven track record of creative, quality landscape design. Homeowners who have followed our design/build approach find it not only produces a better landscape environment, but often saves them money.

Our designers are constantly challenged to find something wonderful, new and different in their designs. Based on the rave reviews that  S.E.CT Landscaping Company designs receive, we are convinced they are more than meeting the challenge. Our emphasis is on constant quality, but we also appreciate the colorful twist and turns that go along with creating a beautiful environment.

Our designers work with our clients from start to finish. This means our designers will work with you from the initial design to the completion of the project. They are on site to insure your landscape is completed properly. Through the industries most advanced designs, finest quality and most efficient service, S.E.CT Landscaping Company provides the ultimate value in professional landscaping. Our company strives to deliver true value for our clients investment.

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Landscape Maintenance Programs

S.E.CT Landscaping Company offers two outstanding residential maintenance programs which insure that our clients’ landscape investment is properly maintained.

Weekly Maintenance Program

The weekly program offers our clients a maintenance program which covers all aspects of their landscape maintenance needs. The weekly program is truly an A to Z program specifically designed for those clients who expect a meticulously maintained landscape. A specially trained crew will perform all of the weekly service functions which are as follows:

• Deep hand pruning of all ornamental plant material
• Ground cover control e.g. ivy, vinca
• Insect and disease control
• Weed control
• Hand weeding
• Fertilization of plant material
• Edging
• Leaf removal
• Trenching bed lines
• Design seasonal color
• Cleanup of landscaped areas each visit
• Fertilization and weed control of turf area
• Mowing of all turf area

Seasonal Maintenance Program

The seasonal program offers a solution for our clients who do not have a need for a weekly maintenance program. A specially trained crew will perform all the seasonal service functions which are as follows:

• Deep hand pruning
• Insect and disease control
• Ground cover control e.g. ivy, vinca
• Fertilization of plant material
• Weed control
• Hand weeding
• Edging
• Mowing of all turf area
• General landscape cleanup

We recommend this service two to three times per year.

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