708 Maple Street, Cozad, Nebraska – 308.784.4748 Like Us on Facebook

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your hours?

Winter ... January - March, Monday - Friday 10:00am - 3:00pm, Closed Saturday and Sunday

Spring ... April - June, Monday - Saturday 8:00am - 6:00pm, Sunday 11:00 - 4:00

Summer... July - September, Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 2:00pm, Closed Sunday

Fall... October - December, Monday - Friday 10:00am - 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 2:00pm, Closed Sunday

What are your top five shade trees for Central Nebraska?

Our top five shade trees may change depending on the planting site and purpose but these are by far our top choices.

  1. Bur Oak, or about any other oak
  2. Kentucky Coffee Tree
  3. Northern Catalpa
  4. Common Hackberry
  5. American Linden

When do you think is the best time to plant perennials, shrubs and trees?

From our experience there is no question that beginning late summer into fall and through the winter, September through March, is hands down the best time to plant perennials, shrubs and trees. The plants ARE still growing even though we say they are dormant and can't see any growth for the most part. But this is when the plant material is focusing on root production which allows three cooler seasons fall, winter and spring to prepare for our stressful summer blast of heat. Spring is almost always thought of as the best time to plant and it is for annuals but if it is possible we would recommend planning and designing your project during that time and starting on it when it begins to cool down at the end of the summer.

What is the best ground cover to use in the landscape?

Wood mulch is by far the most beneficial ground cover to use in the landscape. We do not recommend using any type of plastic or weed barrier for a number of reasons unless you don't want any plants to grow in a large area. For example, the floor of our greenhouse has weed barrier to assist with weed control and cleanliness. Otherwise, in any landscape wood mulch will provide organic matter, help retain important moisture as well as keeping weeds down. We suggest using shredded and chipped hardwood mulch but any wood mulch is better than rock for the health and quality of your plant material. A minimum of two inches should be kept from year to year but not more than four inches. Let the mulch break down naturally and just top dress when needed after the first application of mulch.

How can you control suckers (sprouts or new shoots) from coming back at the base of a tree?

Suckers are typically caused by the tree being under some type of stress either from environmental reasons, planting depth or mechanical damage. Depending on the type of stress most suckers can be controlled by a chemical called "Sucker-Stopper RTU" (isn't that an impressive name?) that comes in a 22oz. spray bottle. Make sure that you are sitting down when you are ready to pay for it because it is not cheap but it is about the only thing that can control their growth. Cutting them off only encourages more growth of the suckers because of the mechanical damage that causes more stress on the tree. Follow the label on the bottle of Sucker-Stopper RTU for specific instructions and recommended use.

For more information about our company, to request services, or to contribute general comments or questions, please use the contact menu here on the website, contact us by phone at 308.784.4748 or e-mail us. We pride ourselves on taking the best care possible of our customers. If at any time, you feel as though Natural Escapes has not done this to the best of our abilities, please ask for Jeremy directly.