Pittsboro Landscape Design: Perfect Time for New Life in your Garden

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A New Year is the Perfect Time to Plan for New Life in Your Garden

 

Owner of Arbor Enterprises, a specialist landscape design company in Pittsboro, NC, shares top tips for encouraging new growth in your garden in winter.

Common wisdom holds that most gardening should happen during spring, but there are a couple of things that you can do, even in the middle of winter, to encourage new growth and prepare your garden for the coming warmer spring months.

Paige Moody, owner of Arbor Enterprise in Pittsboro, NC, dispels the myth that there is nothing that can be done in the garden during winter. In addition to any hardscaping projects that you might have paused during the warmer months, there are also some essential gardening tasks that should be tackled during the winter months. Moody commented on this saying, “Often clients say to me that their gardens are taking a break during winter, and I always take this opportunity to explain the importance of pruning during winter, as well as planting the right vegetables during the colder months.”

To keep your garden healthy, Moody recommends that pruning must happen at the right time. It is better to trim trees and shrubs in late winter, rather than waiting for spring. Limbs that are wounded can become infected over the winter leading to the disease becoming established while the plant remains dormant. By pruning in late winter, it is possible to prevent the disease from spreading and affecting new growth.

Late winter storms may impact your decision as they can cause new damage, but it is still recommended to trim back a broken limb rather than ignoring it until spring. As is always the case, sharp tools that are able make clean cuts should be used as these cuts will heal more quickly and remember to always cut back to healthy, living tissue for best results.

If you have a vegetable garden, there are a number of vegetables that can be planted even if the rest of your garden is dormant. Arbor’s top six recommendations are:

• Garlic - set out bulbs 4 inches apart, don’t water them until shoots begin to poke out of the ground if they are not already receiving rain water. Garlic plants require very little room or maintenance.
• Leeks – these are an inexpensive vegetable to purchase and can be harvested throughout the year.
• Onions – the best time to plant onions (either seeds or bulbs) is in January and February. Bulbs are easier to grow successfully.
• Radishes – there are a number of different varieties to choose from, and they grow easily and quickly.
• Peas – November and February are the best months to plant peas, you will need to give them something to climb up and wrap their tendrils around.
• Potatoes – February is a good month to plant potatoes, and they will be ready to harvest around 3 months later.

Staying on top of pruning and planting tasks year-round can be a challenge but, by taking advantage of the quieter winter months, you can get a head start on growing the garden that you want. The two areas to focus on are planting winter vegetables and pruning trees and shrubs in preparation for spring.

 

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Arbor Enterprises in Pittsboro, NC offers landscape design for both commercial and residential gardens in the Pittsboro area. They specialize in landscape renovation, irrigation installation, pond design and installation, patio designs, and tree trimming and removal. Other services that they offer include turf care (mowing, fertilization, weed control, soil testing, seeding, aerating, dethatching and sodding) and plant care (pruning, fertilization, weed and insect control, mulching, and transplanting).

Founded in 1991 by Paige Moody, Arbor Enterprises is as passionate about their work almost 30 years later as when they first began landscaping. Their staff of 28 members have necessary skills and experience to help you with your landscape design project. Trust them to help you design the garden of your dreams.

The next post was originally seen on Pittsboro Landscape Design: Perfect Time for New Life in your Garden and is republished from Arbor Enterprises. Read more on:} Arbor Enterprises

Production Assistant/Specialist Job Description

Production Assistant/Specialist – Arbor Enterprises

 

This is a FT year-round position at our facility in Pittsboro.  This position calls for a highly motivated and organized individual who will lead the production efforts in ground care, installation and landscaping.  Arbor is a smoke free, drug free environment.

 

Reports to:  President of Arbor Enterprises

 

Job Duties:

 

1. Assist General Manager and the Supervisors in making sure the day-to-day field work meets the customers’ needs and satisfaction.
2. Conduct monthly safety meetings with staff.
3. Make necessary production decisions with emphasis on Quality, Efficiency, & Integrity.

 

Job Requirements:

 

1. Current driver’s license with clean background. We will do a criminal background check.
2. Excellent communication and organizational skills
3. Excellent listening and problem – solving skills
4. Personal appearance and grooming to meet client expectations
5. Excellent knowledge in plant and tree identification, and vendor contacts
6. Develops and maintains crew member relationships to ensure a positive and productive work environment as measured by crew member retention
7. Organize invoices and help with monthly hand off to administration

 

 

Salary & Benefits:

 

1. 45 – 55K Annually
2. Health, Life, Dental & Vision Insurance offered, 50% of cost. Averages $150.00 per month
3. IRA through Baird Wealth Mgt
4. After 90-day probation, Holiday (7 days), and 4 days July 4^th week and Christmas week provided
5. After one year, one-week paid vacation
6. $25.00 per month phone allotment
7. Office in shop
8. Arbor truck use during work day. Possibility for Arbor truck use to and from work
9. Direct deposit, biweekly pay

Purpose and Description:

 

Position is responsible for managing all field operations within the division.  Coordinates the procurement and scheduled use of resources, equipment and materials to ensure maximum use and completion of work within budget, safety guidelines and quality standards.  Promotes the growth and development of filed staff and assists them in carrying out their responsibilities as needed.  Coordinates use of resources and lends support to operational activities for the entire company.

 

Responsibilities/ Activities:

 

1. Maintains proper inventory of materials, equipment and other supplies are on hand to complete production activities.
2. Order materials, equipment and supplies as needed within purchasing limits.
3. Obtain utility locates on needed properties prior to beginning work. Update as needed.  Print and evaluate prior to job start.
4. Maintain day-to-day working knowledge of all contracts in progress.
5. Stay aware of Best Practices. Develop and recommend improved work methods and standards.
6. To proactively identify potential problems within production and find resolution to minimize damage/risk or possibly create unforeseen opportunity for gain.
7. Ensure all field reporting and records are completed accurately, and flow effectively between field and office.

Key Performance Metrics:

 

1. Revenue growth
2. Profitability
3. Employee retention
4. Retention of contracts and customers
5. Safety

 

Minimum Qualifications & Educational Requirements:

 

1. Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture/Turf Management and / or 5-10 years directly relevant experience
2. 3 years supervisory experience
3. Experience in business management, including basic accounting skills
4. Mechanical aptitude
5. Knowledge of computer applications
6. Current driver’s license

 

Extraordinary Work Conditions:

1. Must maintain regular and reliable attendance at a level acceptable to the company, including the ability to work overtime

 

Equipment/Machinery Used:

1. Computers
2. General office equipment
3. Machinery such as mowers, tractors, and trucks
4. Other equipment as needed
5. Bobcat or ability to learn
6. Truck and trailer driving

 

 

Additional Position Responsibilities:

1. Maintain appropriate inventories of mulch
2. Maintain appropriate inventories of topsoil
3. Maintain appropriate inventories of gravel, block and all supplies

 

 

Daily Responsibilities:

1. Make sure crews have all equipment and supplies needed for daily work including any special-order inventory needed for odd work orders to be completed
2. Influence positive attitude of staff through effective use of management and interpersonal skills
3. Use of LMN on smart phone
4. Monitor facilities lots, trailers for cleanliness and organization including trash and debris

 

Typical Day for Arbor Production Manager:

 

• Arrive at shop by 7 am
• Pull pre-tagged plants out for crews per job specs
• Help crews load needed material
• Tidy up shop and close, lock doors before you set out
• Look at work for next day (all material needs to be procured 3 days prior to day needed, after of course you may need to deliver supplies such as mulch, soil, pipe to a job site
• Contact suppliers and locate plant material, or other material
• Contact ULOCO
• Send out emails asking clients if they have any concerns over their finished project – were they happy with Arbor’s work? Send thank you email with Google request
• Evaluate shop needs – trip to Lowes and County Farm & Home to pick up supplies
• Meet truck at shop for delivery
• Turn in receipts and log
• Log in LMN time for deliveries
• Trip to Market Imports to pick up pots
• Order salt for snow plow
• Check pine straw trailer
• Pick up mower from Pittsboro Shop
• Make sure tomorrows work is ready to go
• Set alarm and lock up, lock employee lot chain
• Check employee lot on your way out

 

 

There are some days you may be asked to fertilize a client’s yard, blow a driveway, seal a patio or spray Roundup in prep for an install job.  You will rarely be asked to work on a crew.

 

 

 

 

The following blog post was originally seen on Production Assistant/Specialist Job Description and is republished from Arbor Enterprises. Find more on:} https://arborenterprises.com/