2008 ends with Award Winning Results for the Cipriano team! Five of our New Jersey custom landscaping and swimming pool projects received 11 Awards of Excellence for design and constructions, finishing only one award less than in 2007.

In 2000 we integrated custom swimming pool design and construction into our business. In the eight years since then we have strived to unite the landscape and swimming pool disciplines, assimilating a design and construction strategy that combines masonry, planting and pool building into a unified process. The 2008 season provided us with opportunities to again challenge the effectiveness of these streamlined processes as we completed some of our most unique and rewarding custom swimming pool and landscaping projects to date.

Bill Moore (NJ Certified Landscape Architect) and I worked even more diligently this year to unite landscape architecture with infield design, optimizing space relations and incorporating diverse materials to arrive at our project goals. In addition, construction supervisors Fred Pearson and Keith Steinhoff (APSP Certified Building Professional) successfully resolved some extremely complex situations. Both men effectively manage the structural and mechanical construction of our custom swimming pools and ensure that all of the latest building and safety standards were met.

We were very fortunate in 2008 to receive acknowledgements by several industry associations. Five of our projects were officially recognized, with 11 overall awards earned by our team, a fitting testament to all of the team’s hard work and dedication.

The team received four awards from the North East Spa and Pool Association for the design and construction of custom swimming pools and water features, and was further honored by the Association of Pool and Spa professionals, taking home an award from the International Award of Excellence completion held in Las Vegas November 19, 2008.

The team was also recognized for their achievements in landscaping, receiving four Landscaping “Award of Superior Excellence” from the New Jersey Nurserymen and Landscape Association and two “Award of Excellence” from the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.

In closing, I would like to thank all of our clients for their patronage and the trust they bestow upon us, which allows us the design freedom that truly inspires us to reach our maximum potential on each project. In addition, I applaud all of our employees for their commitment and hard work. As 2008 ends I am looking forward to the challenges and personal rewards our 2009 projects will present, the opportunity to do what I love with the people I love. I am truly blessed.

Chris Cipriano

I would like to acknowledge the New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Charlie Kuperus . Secretary Kuperus gave his farewell speech last Wednesday in Flemington NJ. In his speech he noted the importance of “greater conservation programs and a re-energized farmland preservation effort.” As he finishes his seven year term Secretary Kuperus will be remembered for his efforts in connecting the products of the New Jersey farmer and the Jersey Fresh brand to community markets, restaurants, food retailers and schools.  As New Jersey farmers face the greatest economic challenges in generations, it’s the efforts of the public officials like Secretary Kuperus that will help farmers survive the tough road ahead.

Cipriano Farms embraces sustainability and adopts the latest techniques in large tree moving, resulting in increased survival rate of larger trees.

Air spade technology, which was originally developed to locate landmines in war zones, is a  technique that utilizes compressed air to unearth the root system and tree trunk, which keeps all of the fibrous roots intact. Barerooting a tree with an air spade retains up to 95 percent of the root mass, as opposed to spaded or hand dug trees, which only retain 30 to 50 percent.

Arborists, professional tree surgeons, initially used the air spade to locate the flares of trees that were planted too deep in the ground, to reduce root compaction commonly occurring during construction and to reveal girdling roots which could eventually choke trees.

In addition to keeping fibrous roots intact, the air spade reduces the time necessary for the tree to re-establish itself in the new location and allows the tree to be planted in different soil types without the risk of hindering root growth. Without a cumbersome rootball, the air spade method allows landscapers the ability to move much larger trees with a lot less difficulty. Smaller equipment can be utilized resulting in reduced machinery and clean-up costs.

Traditionally, the normal digging time for deciduous trees is limited to the spring and fall. Airspading allows trees in full leaf to be transplanted without any signs of stress, regardless of season.

While not all trees are suitable for bare root transplanting, the simplicity of the process, numerous benefits and the overall cost savings make air spading a trend that is sure to take root in the landscape and nursery industries for years to come.

Most B&B nursery stock you find have root balls that have been mechanically spaded. Tree spading is a method in which metal blades are hydraulically driven into the ground in a circular pattern to scoop up the rootball. The rootball is then wrapped in burlap and put into a wire basket.

The two most common causes of damage associated with mechanical spading are rootball compression and  undersized rootballs. Off-center spading is also a common issue which tends to cause severe branch loss and dieback. As the size of the trees increase, the recovery time also increases and if the tree has not properly dug it will have a hard time recovering. Due to the indiscriminate cutting of roots during the spading process, we seldom uses this method on specimen trees and don’t recommend it.

Our preferred method of transplanting large caliper trees has been hand digging. Also known as drum lacing, this method utilizes manual labor to dig and secure the trees rootball. After digging, the rootball is wrapped in burlap and tightly drumlaced with sisal for support.

Amongst the benefits, the digger can selectively cut the roots of the tree thus preserving important portions of the root system. For top specimen tree growers, this has been their preferred method of transplanting for many years.

A major limitation with the hand dug method is that conventional machinery is known to have difficulties managing large rootballs, which can weigh upwards of 15 tons. Mishandling can cause the dirt to shift within the root ball resulting in root shearing which is detrimental to the tree.

We have had great success with bareroot digging large caliper trees on our 10 acre farm in Mahwah NJ. and are extremely excited to offer this service to landscapers and homeowners.

On Monday December 15^th we will be attending a stone carving exhibition in Boston, Massachusetts. This exhibition will Feature the latest techniques in natural stone carving, cutting and engraving. Myself and three of our top stone masons will learn about the new uses of chemical solutions in stone carving and how the latest laser technology is now being implemented in stone cutting and engraving. We are all excited to implement these new techniques and products to our own line of custom stone countertops, corbels, mantels and our new carved natural stone floors.

Visit the Custom Stone Cabinetry™ page on our website to view ways on how to create the most detailed custom outdoor kitchens and living rooms. www.PlantNJ.com

We plan on carving the New York Yankee emblem on every piece of stone we can get our hands on! If you want one just e-mail me. Go Yanks!

By Chris Cipriano – Cipriano Landscape Design

In today’s economy, money is tighter than ever before. Unfortunately, there are some businesses that use the tough economic times as a means of taking advantage of consumers.

Only a month ago, a landscape contractor from Mahwah, New Jersey was taking deposits on projects knowing his business would soon close. Recently, a swimming pool builder from Haskell, New Jersey was using other pool contractor’s swimming pool images on his website as advertisements of his own work. A family in Haworth, New Jersey, hired a pool builder from a magazine ad, and because their credentials went unchecked, they ended up with a pool that did not meet the contract requirements or safety standards. The pool needs to be demolished.

In all of these situations, a little due-diligence and research on behalf of the homeowners would have avoided these problems. For example, if the clients would have called the landscape contractor’s vendors, it’s possible they could have learned that the company was in poor standing and drowning in debt. Thus, they would have avoided hiring them. On another occasion, if the clients would have visited the company’s in-progress and completed projects, they would not have been misled by phony advertisements.

In a time when every dollar counts, consumers must be more cautious when hiring a contractor. Getting recommendations from family or friends is good start. For those without references, here is a list of criteria that every quality luxury swimming pool and landscape design firm in New Jersey should be able to satisfy. Don’t settle for anything less or it may cost you a lot more in the long run.

1. Insist on visiting completed custom projects. Also, visit projects that are under construction. Seeing the projects in person will give you a sense of the company’s craftsmanship and viability, and weed out contractors who are not credible. Beautiful swimming pool and landscape pictures are great, however, you must be sure that they belong to the company you are interviewing and are not just deceitful advertisements.
2. Research Landscape design firms on the Internet. Search by name and see what recent information was posted. A simple Google search will go a long way in avoiding bad contractors. Check for current licenses, better business bureau standings and rip-off reports.
3. Only accept bids from firms with the best credentials. You wouldn’t let a proctologist perform brain surgery on you! Certified Building Professional is the top credential for custom swimming pool builders. Certified Landscape Architect credentials can be confirmed on the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs website, njconsumeraffairs.gov. If you’re looking for an outdoor kitchen, fireplace or unique swimming pool, you will want to see numerous examples of each component. For example, a stone masonry expert will have thousands of feet of natural stone patios or veneered walls for you to view. He may also claim to be custom pool builder, but without the right expertise, his work may result in people getting injured or killed because safety standards were not kept!
4. Use a contractor who will perform the work themselves. Avoid loosing control over sub contractors whose quality may be questionable. Subcontractors may not be in business a year from now and they tend to be harder to hold accountable for future problems. A “We do it all” claim implies there are little if any outside contractors used on the job. To protect yourself, make certain you get a list of any subcontractors listed in your contract prior to signing to avoid grey areas.
5. Select a financially secure contractor. Avoid large upfront payments; no more than 5% should be due at signing. Have set milestones based on completion of work. Always ask for vendor references to check their financial status and to ensure you are not investing in a sinking ship!
6. Watch out for misleading information. If any part of the presentation or contract seems deceptive, avoid that swimming pool or landscape design firm.
7. Make sure your contractor has the right insurance. It is imperative to be named on a certificate of insurance for liability and workers comp. For custom pool builders, it is essential that they hold a swimming pool policy or endorsement! If it is not listed, the contractor is not covered and as a result, you are now liable. A landscape gardeners policy will not cover pool construction.
8. Avoid the “free” design trap! If you have ever done any sort of home renovations or new construction, you know that if you have a poor set of plans, your extras end up costing you more than the original contract! Professionals get paid to do their due diligence. A good set of plans prepared by a Certified New Jersey Landscape Architect will include the necessary detailing to avoid the “unforeseen” pitfalls and unexpected expenses. Remember, a free design means pay more later.
9. Hire a luxury pool or landscape company that has the owner involved in the day to day construction process. The best customer service comes from an active business owner. Don’t buy from a salesman. After he has made the sale, he is gone and is harder to hold accountable.
10. Make sure your contractor has a good and fair contract with little or no grey areas. A good contract should include start and finish dates, payment schedules, termination agreement and warrantee information. Also, agreements for dispute resolutions should be clearly defined.

Above all, be attentive and do your homework to ensure you get a quality job at a fair price. With a little effort on behalf of the consumer, the homeowner can go a long way in ensuring a quality outdoor renovation.