$3.00 Off (Any Amount) Hardwood Mulch & Delivery Only $35.00
Visit www.rrrlawn.com or call 616-893-5765 to take advantage of this great offer!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Friday, May 10, 2013
5 Landscaping Tips That Will Make Your Neighbors Jealous!
Add these five landscaping tips into your spring project plans to improve the appearance of your property, increase the value of your home and - best of all - make your neighbors jealous!
1. Clean up - The first thing you must do to prepare for any spring landscaping project is to clean up the lawn, beds and garden. Pick up all branches that may have fallen during the winter, leaves and debris that may be on the lawn, in the garden or beds, and clean up the area you are preparing to work with.
2. Plant and feed - If you plan on planting new grass seed or installing sod, make sure you do not apply any pre-emergent with the early spring lawn treatment. Just apply a balanced organic based fertilizer in these areas. If you plan on waiting until the fall to do your annual grass planting or sod installation, then I advise you to apply a crabgrass barrier pre-emergent plus fertilizer to the lawn. A natural pre-emergent plus fertilizer is corn gluten meal. For all plants and garden vegetables, make sure the soil is in the proper condition for planting. I would advise a soil test before planting anything to make sure you know what nutrients the soil is deficient in. Add organic matter or compost to the soil at the time of planting to improve the soil structure and to promote deeper roots. This will mean less stress from insects, disease and heat. It will also result in a lower water bill, as you’ll need to water these areas less.
3. Sharpen your mower blades - If you winterized your lawn mower and didn’t sharpen the mower blades, sharpen them now. Sharpening your mower blades will help you cut the grass instead of tearing it. Tearing the grass blades can cause an unsightly tan or brown color to a freshly cut lawn. It also can promote fungus development.
4. Set a higher mowing height - Make sure to mow your grass high. For cool-season grasses, such as bluegrass or fescues, the height should be 2-1/2 inches to 4 inches high after being cut.
5. Mulch - Apply a 4-inch layer of fresh mulch over all beds to help reduce the amount of weeds that will pop up. Hand pull or carefully spray a glyphosate product such as Roundup on any weeds that have emerged after mulching.
Visit www.rrrlawn.com for more information!
1. Clean up - The first thing you must do to prepare for any spring landscaping project is to clean up the lawn, beds and garden. Pick up all branches that may have fallen during the winter, leaves and debris that may be on the lawn, in the garden or beds, and clean up the area you are preparing to work with.
2. Plant and feed - If you plan on planting new grass seed or installing sod, make sure you do not apply any pre-emergent with the early spring lawn treatment. Just apply a balanced organic based fertilizer in these areas. If you plan on waiting until the fall to do your annual grass planting or sod installation, then I advise you to apply a crabgrass barrier pre-emergent plus fertilizer to the lawn. A natural pre-emergent plus fertilizer is corn gluten meal. For all plants and garden vegetables, make sure the soil is in the proper condition for planting. I would advise a soil test before planting anything to make sure you know what nutrients the soil is deficient in. Add organic matter or compost to the soil at the time of planting to improve the soil structure and to promote deeper roots. This will mean less stress from insects, disease and heat. It will also result in a lower water bill, as you’ll need to water these areas less.
3. Sharpen your mower blades - If you winterized your lawn mower and didn’t sharpen the mower blades, sharpen them now. Sharpening your mower blades will help you cut the grass instead of tearing it. Tearing the grass blades can cause an unsightly tan or brown color to a freshly cut lawn. It also can promote fungus development.
4. Set a higher mowing height - Make sure to mow your grass high. For cool-season grasses, such as bluegrass or fescues, the height should be 2-1/2 inches to 4 inches high after being cut.
5. Mulch - Apply a 4-inch layer of fresh mulch over all beds to help reduce the amount of weeds that will pop up. Hand pull or carefully spray a glyphosate product such as Roundup on any weeds that have emerged after mulching.
Visit www.rrrlawn.com for more information!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Grand Rapids Lawn Care Special of the Day!
Sprinkler Activation Now Only $45.00!
Visit www.rrrlawn.com or call 616-893-5765 to take advantage of this offer!
Visit www.rrrlawn.com or call 616-893-5765 to take advantage of this offer!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Selecting Plants with Fragrance for your Landscape
Common lilac bushes bloom in late spring, when they release their heavenly fragrance into the evening air. If you care about having aroma in the landscape, planting lilacs is a must! Learn how to grow them here.
These fragrant plants come from China. Peonies are a triple threat, boasting blooms that are gorgeous in appearance and that exude a heavenly aroma; they also bear attractive leaves. On top of all this, peony plants can live for decades in the landscape (without much maintenance, at all).
So colorful are iris flowers that they were named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris. But in addition to producing exquisitely graceful blossoms, some types of iris also smell wonderful.
I mentioned plants valued specifically for the smell of their foliage, and many herbs fall into this category. Perhaps the most renowned among them is lavender, a stalwart of potpourris for generations. In the landscape, a nice use for these fragrant plants is in a border planting.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Privacy Screen Options
If you grow shrubs closely enough together, they can form a "living wall" that is effective in screening out the public's unwanted gazes. One option is to plant the shrubs in rows and shear them to create dense outdoor privacy screens. Another option is to install shrubs more loosely to form borders that will be more low-maintenance.
Lattice fences can serve a number of functions, in addition to creating backyard retreats and serving as trellises. Have an eyesore you'd like to disguise (e.g., trash area, air conditioner, deck supports)? Wooden or vinyl lattice fences can hide them. Building lattice fences to serve as outdoor privacy screens is simple.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Landscaping Quick Tip: Incorporating Hardscaping Into Your Yard
Make liberal use of crushed-stone mulch. If you grow plants in such mulch in a sunny area, select drought-tolerant plants, since stone gets hot in the summer. Don't place the stone mulch directly up against the plants.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Lawn Care Tip: Diluting Dog Urine
If you can't bring yourself to renounce grass, you can still prevent dog spots by vigilance. When you see a dog urinating on the grass, rush to the garden hose. Turn it on and bring it over to the area where your dog has just urinated. Douse the area with water, thereby flushing it and diluting the harmful elements in the dog urine.
This strategy won't be very appealing if you "have a life." I know I wouldn't want my day to revolve around the urinary habits of my dog! But hey, different strokes for different folks.
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