Power Washing

Design and InstallationFirewoodGarden Caregarden TriviaIndoor plantsPlant Health Care
Written By Peter Morris

Introduction

Yes ! Plant Specialists will power wash your garden. 

Our Garden Care Team has the know-how and right equipment to do a fantastic job.

Guidelines

Keep in mind that not all surfaces can be cleaned this way and some more delicate surface materials like tile, wood, plastic, or even limestone require hand washing using brushes and scrubbing.

For stubborn stains like mold, mildew, or oil, use a detergent or cleaner specifically formulated for pressure washers.  We at Plant Specialists prefer something like simple green which contains no bleaching agents.

Our crew always wears protective gear, and we only use electric washers since they produce less noise and no fumes !

Brick

Newer brick handles this method of cleaning better than older worn brick.  Consideration has to be made if the mortar can handle the pressure or if another cleaning method should be used.

Concrete Pavers, Tiles, and Terra cotta

Excessive pressure can strip the top layer off these materials, exposing aggregate and ruining the color. 

Stone

Natural stone like granite or basalt are sturdy and tough enough to be cleaned with a pressure washer and can handle high PSI.  

Wood and vinyl

These softer materials require a gentler approach with low pressure and a wide fan nozzle. 

For wood - Keeping the wand moving continuously will prevent streaking or etching marks. Avoid pausing the spray in one spot to avoid damaging fibers, gouging, or "furring" the surface.

Always move with the grain not against it.

Call us - we know pressure !

(718) 392 9404

 Don't delay – the sooner the better !

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !

Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA

All photographs used with permission from @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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