 Whether you love to spend all of your free time working in the yard, or you do the bare minimum to keep your landscaping look presentable, you’ve probably noticed the vast assortment of tools and gadgets at your local lawn and garden center. So which ones do you really need to maintain a healthy and great-looking lawn?
1. Lawn Mower A lawn mower is one of the most important tools you’ll need to keep your lawn looking its best. There are tons of options on the market when it comes to lawn mowers, and you don’t need to spend all of your savings on the most expensive model. Do some research and choose one that matches your budget and the size of your lawn. There are different types of mowers: some are electric and some use gas, some have to be pushed manually and some are self-propelled or can be ridden on. 2. Sprinkler & Hose If you don’t want to invest in a professionally installed irrigation system, a water hose and sprinkler are must haves on your lawn tool list. Summer in Alabama is extremely hot, and rain is not always in abundance. Adequate water is necessary to promote growth and strengthen the roots of the grass. Be sure to research how much water your grass type needs, and how often it should be watered.  For most people, making the decision to hire a lawn care company comes down to whether or not they feel it is worth the investment, or if they should perform the services themselves. While doing all of your own lawn care may seem to be the most cost-effective and rewarding way to go, there are several reasons why hiring a lawn care company is a good idea: 1. COST The actual savings of doing your own lawn care really aren’t what you’d expect. Purchasing the right amount of product necessary to treat your lawn for a full year from a home and garden center costs about the same, if not more than, a yearly lawn care plan. If you try to cut corners to save some extra money, you won’t get the results you want for your lawn. 2. CORRECT PRODUCTS First and foremost, not all fertilizers and weed killers are the same. Different plants need different products as well as different amounts. This also changes throughout the year, making it somewhat difficult to determine exactly what your lawn needs. Improper applications will lead to a damaged lawn and ineffective treatments. Hiring a reputable lawn care company will eliminate the risk of applying the wrong product at the wrong time.
 Once cool weather arrives, one of the last things that you are probably thinking about is weed control in your beautiful yard. This is probably especially true in the low-lying state of Alabama. Typically, weeds tend to thrive only in warm-weather seasons. However, you may not be aware of the fact that there are particular types of weeds that actually thrive during the cooler days of a southern wintertime. These are the weeds that you need to keep an eye on as the days turn cooler, and treat the winter weeds as they appear.
With average winter temperatures in Birmingham, Alabama only reaching about 44 degrees, it seems that this kind of weather only allows certain weeds to slow down in their growth, and not actually stop growing. Two prime examples of weeds found in the southern United States that often don’t really stop growing are crabgrass and chickweed. Once Spring comes around and it is time for the seeds to germinate, if there has been no measure taken to stop the growth of these weeds, they will simply begin to thrive again, along with everything else that blossoms in the warmer weather.  Most people probably think of planting things during the typical growing season of Spring, but did you know that there are some plants, shrubs, and trees that can add beauty and character to your yard in the Fall, too? The only trick you need to know is which particular plants to pick that will provide you with quite the treat throughout the drab-looking winter and the upcoming new year.
One way to treat yourself when you are deciding which plants to purchase is to look for the end-of-season sales. Towards the end of the summer and into the fall, many garden-supply stores will have sales, as they make room for things like Christmas cacti, Christmas trees, and poinsettias. You can pick up some great deals on things like perennials, which can have a long-growing life especially in the southern areas like Alabama, where the temperatures never really get too cold. It is also a great time to buy bulbs, shrubs, and fruit trees. Fruit and nut trees can be especially good to plant now, before the temperatures do take a little dip. Planting now will give the trees some time to develop a root system, and they will be ready to really bloom in the coming spring. Some examples of trees that are good choices are pecan trees, peach trees, apple trees, and walnut trees.  It is that time of year again, when the weather starts to change. The daylight is shortened and the temperature begins to decrease a little bit. The temperature is not the only thing that is falling, though. The leaves are starting to fall from the trees covering yards. Yards with a lot of trees can be completely covered, just like a blanket of snow. You may wonder if it is really necessary to rid your own yard of these fallen leaves. After all, it can be a beautiful scene with leaves scattered all over the grass, bringing back memories of all the fun you’ve had walking through thick patches of leaves or jumping into a large pile of them. However, in order to protect the life of your grass, it is necessary to remove the fallen leaves eventually.
Within the next month or two, all of the leaves should have fallen from the trees, and homeowners should begin the process of removing the decaying leaves off of the grass. There are many reasons why leaves should not be left lying on the grass throughout the wintertime. Fallen leaves create a barrier that prevents the grass from receiving essential sunlight and inhibits the “breathing” ability of the grass blades. When layers of grass become wet, they create a perfect environment for mold to grow and insects to gather, as they look for a place to build their homes. Other yard diseases that thrive in damp environments are brown patch and snow mold. Grass diseases are often easier to prevent than to treat; therefore, you are more likely to prevent diseases by removing piles of leaves off of your grass. Every homeowner knows that taking care of a home can be an expensive and challenging task sometimes. There always seems to be something that is in need of repair or that needs to be replaced or updated. One area that is very important to keep in order is your lawn and outside of your home. The outside areas of your home are the first thing that visitors notice, and can make you proud and pleased with your home and with your lot. However, if you feel a sense of bewilderment with your lawn and house front, then it may be time to make a few improvements. Below are six ways to improve the outside look of your home, all of which are budget-friendly.
1. Take notice of your flowerbeds, shrubs, and trees around your home and throughout your yard. Are there any dead flowers, shrubs, or tree limbs that need to be removed? Have any of the shrubs or trees outgrown the space that is allotted for them? If so, trim your shrubs and your trees so they look more appropriate for the space they are given, and remove any dead flowers, shrubs, or limbs. It is amazing how fresh the flower beds and trees look after they have received a nice trimming.  Whether you own or manage a commercial property and spend a small fortune on grounds maintenance, or you're an exhausted homeowner who seems to spend all of your spare time (and money) maintaining your lawn, you're probably wondering how in the world can you reduce the workload or the costs of keeping your property looking great.
Aside from pouring concrete over your property, here are 3 ways you can help to reduce the amount of work necessary to maintain your lawn or commercial property: 1. Eliminate Weeds Different types of weeds thrive at different times, making it nearly impossible for your lawn's growth to ever slow down. Every time you mow your lawn, you are mowing weeds. An effective weed control program can save you hundreds of dollars just in reduced mowings, depending on the size of the lawn. By applying a pre-emergent in the Spring and post-emergent in the Fall, you can eliminate 4-6 mowings per season. An average homeowner mows their lawn 24 times per year, so by eliminating weeds, you can reduce that count by 20%.  Local food movements are more than just a trend, people across the nation are realizing that having access to fresh and healthy food is an important part of being human. Consumers and eaters are asking for higher quality from their produce and want flavor back in their diets. It’s easy to see why not only are fresh fruits and vegetables good for us, but they taste better too.
Tomatoes at your local supermarket are bred to survive the long trip they have from the vine to your table, and this comes at the cost of taste and texture. It’s hard to blame the breeders, because people want tomatoes year round, and they don’t grow year round everywhere in the country. So to meet demand, fruits and vegetables took a hit in the flavor category in order to make it to market. As consumers realized that they want their vegetables to actually taste good too, supermarkets are now stocking shelves with higher quality heirloom produce, but this can get costly. One solution to this is to start growing your own fruits and vegetables, but there are more reasons too. Here are several reasons why you should start your own vegetable garden, no matter how small at first.  During these summer months, extreme temperatures can play havoc on lawns everywhere. Hot afternoons can be difficult for grasses, plants, bushes, and trees. There are several things that you can do to improve the healthiness of your yard during this sizzling time. Follow some simple steps to improve your lawn’s heartiness and growing cycles.
One easy transition that you can do during the summer months is to not cut your grass too short. Blades of grass that are trimmed too low have a difficult time producing the energy they need to thrive. In order to achieve an ideal level of cutting, simply raise the blades of your lawn mower up a degree or two and stay on that setting until later in the year when temperatures turn cooler.  Did you know that one of the most important aspects of caring for your lawn is mowing the grass? Proper mowing techniques paired with lawn treatment will promote thick, green, lush grass that feels like a carpet under your feet. While we don’t offer lawn mowing services, we do offer some advice on how to make sure your lawn is mowed properly.
Here are some of the important things you should consider when mowing your lawn: |
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