Archive for May, 2010

Mulch Clean Up

Saturday, May 1st, 2010

Mulching has many benefits for your garden. In addition to giving your flower, shrub and tree beds an attractive appearance, it also aids moisture retention lowering your irrigation requirements, protects roots from fluctuating temperatures and discourages the growth of weeds.

However, mulch needs to be cleaned up and replenished every spring if you want to maintain your curb appeal and protect your plants successfully. Mulch clean up, especially for large commercial properties is laborious and time consuming but an experienced lawn maintenance company can accomplish this task easily and effectively.

What does spring mulch clean up involve?

  • Removing leaves, papers, fallen branches and twigs: Fallen branches and twigs will hamper the growth of your plants while dead and decaying leaves increase the acidity levels of your soil. Make sure your mulch is free of twigs, branches, leaves and paper to promote healthy plants and give your property a well-maintained appearance.
  • Replenishing levels for maximum benefits: Wood mulch decomposes and could even erode. You need at least 3 to 4 inches of mulch in your beds and planters if your want to retain moisture, protect them from extreme heat or cold and keep out the weeds. Make sure your beds have adequate mulch.

Colored mulches are a great way to give your garden a stunning appearance. Mulching together with smart irrigation controls improves water management and reduces maintenance costs. Get a quality lawn enhancement service to maintain your garden and take care of spring mulch clean up.

Posted in Spring Plant Care, Sustainable Landscaping | No Comments »

Spring Sprinkler Repair

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Efficient irrigation services are the key to a well maintained garden as well as effective water management. The new California water restrictions on commercial properties have raised the awareness of sustainable green practices with low water requirements and increased the need for smart irrigation controls and sprinkler systems.

An established landscape management company with expertise in the installation, maintenance and repair of the latest sprinkler systems will ensure adequate watering without wastage and high utility bills.

Why is spring sprinkler repair important?

  • Your sprinkler system requires regular checking and timely repair in order to perform at optimal levels. It must give you the water savings and reduced cost maintenance it was designed for.
  • Regular wear and tear on sprinkler heads, valves and timers can result in leaks or cause your system to break down entirely. Unnecessary water wastage means you end up paying for water that’s going down the drain as well as hardscape damage from run-offs. Spring sprinkler tune up is part of lawn preparation and ensures that your irrigation system is in top condition for the upcoming season.
  • If you neglected to winterize your irrigation system during the fall you could be in for some unpleasant surprises in the form of blockages and even pipe bursts. Timely repair prevents huge replacement costs and avoids excessive water bills.

Installing the latest underground sprinklers with smart controls (with solar power options) bring continuous long term savings when compared to frequent repairs of existing systems. Ask a landscape service with expertise in sprinkler installation and repair to check if it’s worth it to repair your current system or if it just makes more sense to replace it.

Posted in Lawn Care, Spring Plant Care | No Comments »

Composting Grass, Leaves for Spring Renewal

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Master gardeners consider nutrient-rich compost as “black gold” for their gardens. Extreme weather always affects soil quality. Natural or organic compost including grass cuttings and leaves restores essential nutrients resulting in a gorgeous garden with healthy turf, plants, shrubs and trees. Compost is especially important for spring renewal.

The popularity (and huge savings) of sustainable landscaping  has led to many commercial property managers composting as a cost-effective way to:

  • Restore nutrients to the soil
  • Avoid use of chemical fertilizers
  • Recycle garden waste
  • Reduce irrigation requirements and landscape maintenance cost
  • Realize water management goals  and
  • Create a spectacular garden that promotes conservation

How to use the compost for spring renewal?

  • Lawn: Add up to 3 inches of organic compost to your grass, rake to spread evenly and then water it. Regular raking and watering facilitates decomposition and promotes a drought and insect-resistant turf.
  • Plants, trees and shrubs: Use compost as mulch for plant, tree and shrub beds. Spread a layer of 2 to 3 inches for nutrient-rich soil that retains moisture and discourages growth of weeds.
  • Soil treatment: Dig up to 4 inches of soil, mix in compost and spread. You can also mix it with potting soil used in planters and baskets.

An experienced landscape management company can show you how to start up your own composting unit and use it to fertilize your garden. Use compost and smart irrigation controls to convert to a self-maintaining landscape.

Posted in Landscape Renovation, Sustainable Landscaping | No Comments »

Pre-emergent Weed Control

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Regular landscape maintenance including pre-emergent weed control ensures that your lawn and garden is always vibrant and healthy. Weeds rob your grass, plants, trees and shrubs of essential nutrients from the soil. Preventative treatments are the most effective and efficient methods of weed control.

Spring is the best time for pre-emergent treatments.  Persistent weeds like crab grass germinate from seeds and flourish with each irrigation cycle. Having an experienced landscape management company to administer timely applications before germination will prevent weeds from taking over your beautiful garden and destroying your plants.

What does effective pre-emergent weed control include?

  • Identifying your weed problems as well as the specific treatments for them.
  • Core aeration to remedy soil compaction and break up thatch, to ensure absolute effectiveness of pre-emergent weed treatments.
  • Timely and precise application of weed treatments to ground cover (especially if you have had a crab grass problem in the past) and bare soil to prevent germination, as well as re-occurrence.

Pre-emergent weed control is more than applying an off-the-shelf treatment to your lawn or plant beds. It involves experience in dealing with the different weeds, knowing which treatments are effective and administrating the exact amounts of the right applications. Get an established lawn company to take on the responsibility of your pre-emergent weed control.

Posted in Lawn Care | No Comments »

Renovating older landscapes

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Renovating older landscapes enhances your curb appeal and boosts property value. It also lowers your maintenance expenses significantly. Established landscape enhancement and installation services  use cutting-edge design and irrigation technology to transform existing lawns into beautiful sustainable landscaping employing the latest cost-saving green practices.

What does renovating older landscapes involve?

  • Eye-catching, creative landscape design that gives your outdoor space a fresh, new look.
  • Careful selection of grass, plants, shrubs and trees that will thrive in your local conditions, are insect and drought-resistant, compatible with one another and have low water requirements.
  • Taking advantage of your plants and trees to lower heating and cooling requirements, thereby increasing your energy efficiency.
  • Efficient water management with the installation of smart irrigation systems (with solar power options) that apply ET rates. This eliminates wastage and lowers utility bills, as you avoid the damage caused by run-offs.
  • Recycling green waste like grass clippings and leaves to mulch and fertilize your garden as well as reduce the use of toxic chemicals.

Converting to sustainable landscaping ensures a lifetime of reduced maintenance cost. Ask an experienced landscape management company with proven expertise in renovating older lawns and installing the latest irrigation systems to give your outdoor space a stunning makeover.

Posted in Landscape Renovation | No Comments »