5 beautiful flowers for your garden

“Earth laughs in flowers”

Landscaping companies can offer a wealth of information when it comes to lawn care and beautification.  Ask any lawn care company, and they’ll tell you that you can never define a beautiful lawn or a garden without a few flowering plants. Not only do they offer color but they also transform a dull, tired corner into a blooming beauty.

Flowers are without a doubt the essence of a garden.

Here are 5 of the best flowering plants that landscaping companies can supply for your summer lawn:

1. Ageratum
They’re the warm and tropical region flowering perennials and annuals from the family of Asteraceae. They blossom in sun and partial shade, from early summer to the first frost. With medium to tall height they’re most popular for their blue flowers. The other varieties are white topped blue flowers and brilliant shades of violet, pink and white. Their size and color makes Argentum a good choice for flowering pots and rock gardens. Since they’re easy to grow and maintain, you can get them directly from a nursery or purchase them in seed form. But some of the varieties of Ageratum are poisonous, so it’s recommended to first consult landscaping companies or proper nurseries before choosing one for your lawn.

2. Hardy Hibiscus
Landscaping companies know that Hardy Hibiscus is one of the favorite flowers of southern gardens. This species include perennial and annual plants, together with woody shrubs and small trees. They love the sun and are known for their large, showy flowers with colors varying from white to pink, red, orange, peach, yellow and purple. Being a versatile plant it can enhance the beauty of your garden in many ways. It can be planted in your lawn, can be a beautiful balcony garden add-on and can also be used in both, regular garden pots or even in hanging pots.
3. Stokes Aster
They’re one of the most compatible flowers for warm region with drought tolerant nature. Stokes Asters can be grown from the start of spring as they bloom from late spring through summer in range of pale to perky shades of pink, silvery white, and electric blue. They’re a perfect flowering plant for gardens with a backdrop of evergreen shrubs and native foliage plants. When starting with Stokes Aster you need to take care that the soil is a little acidic and that the plants are watered well. Once they mature, they become one of the low maintenance flowering plants.

4. Royal Catchfly
This beautiful lady in red belongs to the pink family of flowering plants. It’s a perennial herb that starts from a fleshy taproot and grows up to 1.6 meters tall. Popularly known as ‘Catchfly’, it has sticky glands on its stems that trap small flies. A personal favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies, Royal Catchfly is easy to plant enjoys full sun, well-drained soil and can be moved from one place to another in the garden without much of a problem. It’s well suited for big lawns, borders and sidewalks.
5. Woodland Phlox
Another beauty to add to your garden is Woodland Phlox. This a semi-evergreen perennial species with hairy leaves, petals of blue-lavender, light purple, pink, and white color with a pleasant fragrance. It enjoys the full sun but doesn’t mind mild shade and is disease resistant. It’s a low maintenance plant but needs an open area where it can receive plentiful of air. Spring is the major blooming period for Woodland Phlox when it reaches a height of almost 30 cm and above.

All these flowering plants are easy to grow, are low maintenance and can be bought from landscaping companies or nurseries in the form of saplings or seeds. While all these are good choices, the bouquet is certainly not limited to them. Go ahead and try some other species and share your experience with us.

Ornamental Grasses For Your Lawn

Ah to have a vibrant, colorful lawn year round. Only, we all know that most flowering plants are seasonal and require plenty of TLC. Landscaping companies may recommend ornamental grasses to enable you to add the oomph and appeal you’re looking for. Ornamental grasses are generally low maintenance and are available in a variety of colours, sizes and shapes. Our lawn care services team is happy to guide you on the best options for your garden and can recommend combinations that can help fill the gaps in your lawn.

Ornamental grasses can be very beneficial. Our landscaping company experts tell you how:

• Low maintenance
Landscaping companies know that ornamental grasses can be easily maintained. In fact, they hardly require any kind of lawn care services, so they’re an ideal choice if you don’t have much time to devote to your garden. They grow easily and need just a bit of pruning during their growing season. They are generally quite sturdy and can tolerate hot and dry summers. They need minimal amount of water and care. Ornamental grasses are also very resistant to diseases and pests which is appreciated by busy homeowners. Most annual and perennial varieties are sun-lovers, however a few, like sedges and Hakone grass, thrive better in moist and shady spots. Be sure to talk to your lawn care company about the soil, water, and sun requirements for your grasses.
• Adjustable
In addition to being low maintenance, ornamental grasses are very adaptable in nature and adjust well in natural and designed lawns. You can design your lawn and plant them in different areas including borders or even in the main lawn beds depending on their sizes and shapes. As the seasons change, they gracefully turn from reds, pinks,and whites, in summers to golden yellows, beige and brown in winters, giving a dramatic and refreshing look to your lawn while blending in with the colors of the season.
• Rapid growth
Ornamental grasses are indeed the fastest way to make your lawn beautiful and colorful. They grow so quickly that some of them reach their full height in just a few weeks. On the flip side, this can make them aggressive and invasive at times which needs to be kept in check by your lawn care company. But you can’t deny that they add charm and allure with their foliage, stunning patterns, and dazzling colors.
• Resilient for all areas
  
Landscaping companies know that these beautiful grasses can even thrive in difficult areas with poor soil condition, rough grounds and steep slopes. They can flourish in smaller lawns, terrace gardens, or even large yards.  With the variety of ornamental grasses available, you won’t be short of options that meet your sun, shade, leaf structure, flowering, or space requirements.
• Evergreen beauty
Ever colorful beauty is what defines the ornamental grasses, the best. Regardless of the season, ornamental grasses have a great appeal. They are strong and resistant to usual climatic problems and stand tall offering endless beauty to your lawn. Whether you need a contrast of colors, a focal point in your lawn, a sturdy border, or a backdrop for other plants, these grasses can make it happen.
• Other bonuses
Talk to your landscaping company, if you want a little more privacy in your lawn, or are looking to shape a special part of your lawn, want to screen out an unwanted view, make your fence denser or give a more sophisticated look to the walls of your home, ornamental grasses come to your rescue. They can be combined with other foliage and can be planted with almost all the plants. They can also be used to form a beautiful pathway between your shrubs, perennials and the lawn.

Whether you’re planning a new lawn or rejuvenating the old one, ornamental grasses can add surprising twist to it all and landscaping companies can help. Your lawn care company can help you choose ornamental grasses that are beautiful, adjustable and low-maintenance in ways that only a few plants can match. If you’re looking for an evergreen lawn with plants that hardly need maintenance, ornamental grasses are worth considering.

How to design a beautiful garden

Designing a beautiful garden can range from low cost creative ideas to costly designer furnishings available in the market. You can start making your garden beautiful with the things you already have at home or consider useless. You just need to be creative with them. While of course, there is no limit to spending on a decorative garden. From French marble to unique art sculptures and water features, you can have them all. In fact, landscaping companies have a lot of services that can transform your garden into a living, breathing heaven.
Before we opt for a landscaping company, let’s try designing your garden ourselves, where we can spend a little and create wonders. A beautifully designed garden begins with the knowledge of the plants and trees. If you know the colors, flowers and fruits they bear in a particular season, you can have a gala throughout the year.

1.Mix different color – Splash colors with different flowering plants in your garden. Go for lilies, roses, daffodils, hibiscus, bougainvillea, and other flowering plants that break up the green and provide variety, contrast and focal points.
2.Hedge designs – Hedges can add a lot to the beauty of the garden. If you have a lot of flowering plants, you can skip the flowering hedges and opt for the evergreen ones. Maintain and trim them well. The ones that change color in different seasons can add a pleasant tone to your garden as well.
3.Group plants and trees – Want an evergreen or rather ever colorful garden? Grouping is the ideal way. Group plants with different flowering seasons together. There are winter, summer and annual flowering plants and trees. This way you’ll always have some greens and some flowers in every part of your garden. But make sure that one plant shouldn’t be a parasite for the other.
4.Colorful and designer pots – Using colorful and designer pots is an addition to the garden art. You can either buy or color your existing pots. You can also use dry twigs and jute for rugged look of your pots. These simple yet creative designs make the garden look more lively and beautiful.
5.Furniture – Table and chairs, benches, cane furniture, there are a lot of options available for garden furniture. Adding some colors to the garden furniture can also be a real draw-card. Always choose to place your furniture near fragrant flowers to enjoy the beauty and engage the senses even further.

6.Lights – Placing lights creatively can add tons of beauty to your garden. It will also keep your garden illuminated at night.
7.Pathways and driveways – Pathways and driveways add to the elegance of a garden and give you a clean walkway in rains. Landscaping companies offer many designs and budgets for each type of pathway.

8.Garden art – Adding some catchy frames, big metal flower pots, cushions to the furniture and some decorative colorful stones to the flower pots are some of the examples of garden art. As long as you’re experimenting, there is no limit. Just keep things fun and creative, but don’t go overboard.
9.Ornamental designs – As we mentioned in the beginning, garden designing can start with something as irrelevant as a wooden log and can go up to spending thousands of dollars, depending upon your creativity and budget. Water features like fountains, driveways, patios and decks, fencing, parking lots and designer entry ways are some of them.
Simple concepts can make a huge difference to the enjoyment of your garden space. So go on and experiment with all these tips to design your garden your way.

Author Bio:
Tender Care Lawn is a dedicated lawn care company started by Donald Lapoint and family in 2004 in southwest Louisiana. Our goal is to provide affordable, dependable, quality Landscape Maintenance Services. We believe in complete customer satisfaction. Our services include grass cutting, fertilization, weed control, shrub and hedge trimming in the Sulphur, Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Westlake, Carlyss and surrounding areas.

7 Useful Tips for Growing Flowering Plants

Flowers are the essence of a beautiful lawn. These blooming beauties not only make your garden spectacular but also add value to your property. Since flowering plants need more attention all the landscaping companies provide special services for them.

If you still don’t have some, perhaps it’s time you should think of trying out some. Flowers also make an inviting space for birds to visit and share their song.

There’s a large variety to choose from and some precautions to be taken. Here’re a few basics, you need to learn for understanding flowering plants:

1. Design your lawn first – It’s good to have a mental picture of your lawn. You can also start with drawing a rough map. This will help you understand what exactly you want your lawn to look like once you have the flower beds in place.
   1. Shape and size of flowering plant – You can also judge the area available for the the plants you choose. Also, grouping plants of similar height or planting the taller plants behind the shorter ones is a good way of giving your lawn a multi-color and multi-layer look.
   2. Color of flowers – Always try to plant colors that look vibrant around each other. You can also try the same plant that comes in a variety of colors to give your garden a symmetrical look.
2. Ample sunshine – Most of the flowering plants need 6 to 8 hours of sunlight everyday during the growing season. It’s best to analyse such a space in your lawn before bringing in these plants.
3. Balanced soil – Most of the flowering plants need balanced soil that’s neither too sandy nor too sticky. You should also test the pH and fertility level of the soil before starting with these plants. Most of the landscaping companies offer this service and also provide testing kits if you’re keen on doing it on your own.
4. Manure and fertilizers – Flowering plants require a little more organic matter and better amount of fertilizer in the soil to make flowers so their requirements are a little more as compared to non-flowering plants.
5. Selecting the right flowering plant – There are the two main types of flowering plants, annuals and perennials.
   1. Annual flowering plants have one life cycle, growing in one season. They sprout in their season, grow leaves and roots, produce flowers, create seeds and then die. They bloom abundantly but require more watering and fertilizing.
   2. While perennials on the other hand are the plants whose root systems stay alive underground for years. They go dormant in winter, but sprout again in spring. They bloom moderately but provide a steady structure for a garden.
   3. It’s best to have a combination of a few annuals and a few perennials that bloom in different seasons to have an ever flowering garden.
6. Insect and disease resistance – Make sure to learn about the common insects and diseases that infest the flowering plant of your choice. Since flowering plants have more colors and fragrance they tend to attract more bugs. It’s recommended to choose the flowers that are naturally resistant and are native to your region.
7. Transplanting or seeds – While transplanting your favorite flowers is easier and also offers instant gratification by blooming immediately, there’re a few good ones that only come in the form of seeds. Moreover, sometimes when transplanted, the plant doesn’t trive well and dies in a few days or weeks. On the other hand, growing from seeds is a slower task and needs more dedication and care. Hence, it’s suggested to visit a lawn care company and get the right information before starting with the planting process.

Flowering plants may seem to be a more tedious task with all the attention and care they need but you can’t deny the fact that they bring colors and liveliness to your surroundings. Also, if you plan the planting process, read labels, seed packets and catalog descriptions carefully while buying plants and take proper guidance and services from good landscaping companies, you can have a blooming garden, all year long. Our land care services include lawn care, power washing, mosquito spraying, mini excavator work, fertilization and weed control, sprinkler system programming and repair, shrub and hedge trimming, and landscape maintenance.

Lawn Care When on a Vacation

Summertime is definitely fun. It’s a time when you want to take a relaxing vacation away from the daily chores of your regular life. But while you may feeling like packing up your bags and dodging the summers, landscaping companies suggest that you plan your lawn maintenance.

Landscaping companies offer professional assistance while you’re on a vacation. Nevertheless, you can yourself do a few things to make sure your lawn remains healthy while you enjoy your vacation.
Here are some useful tips to help your lawn get through your summer vacation:

1. Vacation period – How long will you be away? If it’s just a week or less, you may not need to worry. It’s possible your lawn won’t even miss you. If you plan a longer vacation that stretches about 10 days or more or live somewhere dry and hot, that’s when you need to look out for your plants.
2. Mowing – If you’re planning for a vacation longer than 10 days, it’s best to mow your lawn and mulch the clippings to add moisture-retentive organic matter. It’s best to do this a day or two before you leave.
3. Watering – If you’re dealing with dry summer heat, deep watering your lawn a day before leaving is in order. Also, make sure you have a plan to keep your lawn hydrated if you’ll be gone for a significant amount of time. You can take help from a neighbor, a gardener or a lawn care company.
4. Fertilization – Though most of the grasses grow slowly in the summertime, it’s advised not to fertilize your lawn much before leaving. After all, you don’t want a jungle by the time you return.
5. Turf Pest control –  Inspect your lawn for any burn spots, weeds, insects and diseases. Spot spray for any kind of infestation before going away.
6. Major lawn services – Don’t opt for any major lawn care services like aeration, dethatching, or resodding before you leave. Your presence is essential in such cases to closely monitor the health of your lawn.
7. Pots and planters – Most of us have some pots or planters as a part of our lawn. While going on a vacation, move them to an area that’s more shady during the day time. Keep them grouped together.  This creates a humid microclimate, conserves water, and keeps them healthy.
8. Weather forecast – The weather forecast back home is as important as that of the vacation destination. If the forecast announces long, hot or dry weather, make sure your lawn and plants are well-prepared to deal with those conditions and you have a caretaker for them.

The absence of a caring gardener can result in chaos for your lawn and potted plants. But with tips and techniques from landscaping companies you can have a worry-free vacation and come back home to a healthy and happy garden.

Contact us  :
Author         : TenderCareLawnService
Address       : 1497 W Houston River Rd,Sulphur, LA 70663
Telephone    : 337-313-3002

Tips for healthy lawn turf

Landscaping companies can be a valuable source of information for maintaining healthy lawn turf. The beauty of a perfect lawn begins with healthy green grass spread across the stretch of land. It not only represents a healthy lawn but also gives a spectacular look to your house.
But choosing the right grass for your lawn can be tricky at times. In fact choosing the right grass creates all the difference between a low-maintenance, environmentally-friendly lawn versus a dull and patchy, diseases prone lawn. You can consult landscaping companies for the right guidance when setting up your lawn.
But how do you choose the right type of lawn turf on your own?
First of all, don’t buy seeds on impulse. The type of grass you select should depend on several factors such as color, leaf width, characteristic appearance, density, compatibility with the climate and soil, water needs, etc.
Here are a few steps to follow before choosing the lawn grass:
Soil testing
Turf grasses usually thrive in well-aerated soil with pH between 6 to 7.5. It’s recommended to purchase a soil test kit from a lawn care company and test the soil. To take a soil test, gather soil samples from several places around your lawn. Mix it well and place it into the soil testing bag. Expect to wait for about two weeks to get the right results.
Select the grass
There are mainly two types of grasses, warm season grass and cool season grass.
Warm-Season Grass
Warm-season grasses are the ones that resonate with and grow better in warmer regions of the country. These include St. Augustine, Buffalo, Bermuda, Centipede and Zoysia. These grasses achieve their peak growth when summer is in full swing. They require full sun to thrive, although they may tolerate some shade.
Cool-Season Grass
Cool-season grasses are the ones that resonate with and grow better in cool northern regions of the country. These include tall and red fescues, perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass. These grass turfs grow the most during the cool seasons of spring and fall. Cool-season grasses are more shade-tolerant, especially the fescues.
Hence one key factor while choosing the right grass seed simply depends on your region.
Levels of Shade
The next thing to consider is the number of trees in your lawn. Since different types of grasses tolerate different levels of shade, dense trees can be a problem. Most grasses enjoy sunlight and need a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight to thrive. Even shade-tolerant grasses need around four hours of sunlight. If your lawn has more trees, opt for cool-season grasses, the shade-tolerant ones like rye and fine and tall fescues. There are also a few warm-season grasses that can grow in shade, like Zoysia and St. Augustine. It’s best to blend quality seeds of several types of shade-tolerant grasses and spread them around so if one dies, another can take its place.
Wear and tear of turf
It’s important to consider wear and tear of your lawn in advance. If you have a family with young children and pets who enjoy a summer pool and running around in the lawn, opt for a more resistant grass. Kentucky bluegrass is one such turf. It’s one of the finest choices for athletic fields, and is also self-mending. When bare spots occur, the turf can creep in to fill in holes automatically. However, it’s more demanding in terms of mowing, fertilizing and watering.
Fertilizing Your Lawn
Do research or consult landscaping companies to be sure of the fertilizing needs of the turf type you choose to grow in your lawn. If you’re more an organic kind of a person and love to fertilize your plants with organic fertilizers such as compost and other earth-friendly brews, make sure the grass you select responds well to that. Some turfs require more frequent fertilization. Also make sure you’re not planting a high-maintenance lawn when you have time only to grow a low-maintenance one. While buying grass seed read the label carefully. It should show weed seed content less than 1% and inert material content less than 4% with germination rate no less than 70%.
How to Water
Consider watering needs when you choose your grass seed. If you live in a region more prone to droughts and water scarcity, select a grass like Buffalo turf, tall fescue or Zoysia. Floratam is the St. Augustine’s variety that’s the most drought-tolerant, but it requires some shade. You may also need to install an irrigation system before planting the seeds.
Mowing needs
Finally, consider lawn mowing needs when selecting a grass type. Grasses like fescues have ideal growing heights and don’t need mowing as often as Kentucky bluegrass lawn. Among warm-season turf, Centipede and Bermuda grass needs more frequent mowing than Zoysia. Native grasses like Buffalo grass require the lowest amount of mowing. Turf that goes dormant in summer heat or winter chill also demands less mowing during periods of dormancy.
Growing a lawn from seed offers an affordable option, especially for smaller lawns. Keeping these points in mind can help you have the best grass and easiest maintenance for your lawn. You can always find newer seed types at a nursery or landscaping companies that specialize in lawn installation. In fact they can also help you with the details you need to keep your turf healthy.
Always buy top-quality seed. It’s worth the investment!
Contact Us today to schedule an appointment.
Author Bio:
Tender Care Lawn is a dedicated lawn care companystarted by Donald Lapoint and family in 2004 in southwest Louisiana. Our goal is to provide affordable, dependable, quality Landscape Maintenance Services. We believe in complete customer satisfaction. Our services include grass cutting, fertilization, weed control, shrub and hedge trimming in the Sulphur, Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Westlake, Carlyss and surrounding areas.

Aeration of Lawn

While we never forget to take care of watering and fertilizing needs of our lawn, we usually don’t pay much attention to the aeration needs of their lawn.landscaping companies explain that plants depend on air in the soil. Even water and nutrients are absorbed better when the soil is porous. Compact soil disrupts nutrient absorption and prevents roots from growing, hence regular aeration is a must.
If you want to get rid of thatch and make way for a beautiful lawn be sure to prioritize aeration.
Your lawn will thank you for letting it breathe again.
What is aeration?
The main reason for aerating a lawn is to alleviate soil compaction. Excess lawn thatch or heavy organic debris buried under the grass surface can also starve the roots from these essential elements and cause soil compaction which needs to be treated.
Aeration involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate the soil and get absorbed by the roots. This helps not only the lawn grass to grow properly but also helps other plants in the lawn to become healthier and stronger.
Signs that your lawn needs aeration:
1.Your lawn suffers heavy footfall or vehicle driving and parking
2.You live in a region where soil has more clay content
3.Water puddles on watering and after rain
4.You find it difficult to stick a pencil or stick in the soil
5.Thatch layer is thicker than one and a half inch
6.Grass is thin, patchy or bare
7.When is the best time for aeration?
8.Though it’s advised aerate as soon as you see any of the signs mentioned above, the best time for aeration is during the growing season, when the grass can heal quickly and fill in any open areas after soil plugs are removed.
9.Ideally, aerate the lawn in the early Spring or Fall for cool season grasses and late Spring for the warm season grasses.
Aerating tools
There are two main aerating tools:
1.Spike aerators
2.Plug aerators
In a spike aerator, you simply poke holes in the ground with a solid fork or tine. While the plug aerator removes a core or plug of grass and soil from the lawn. Poking holes is less effective and can cause additional compaction in the areas around the holes.
For the best results, use an aerating tool that removes plugs of soil. Use an aerating tool that removes soil plugs approximately 2 to 3 inches deep and 0.5 to 0.75 inches in diameter with distance about 2 to 3 inches apart. These tools can be rented from a lawn care company together with the instructions to aerate the lawn properly.
Aeration is a beneficial practice toward achieving a beautiful lawn. It’s best to make it an integral part of your lawn care regime. It’s one of the most important landscape maintenance services to be performed for a healthy, green and disease free lawn.
Contact Us today to schedule an appointment.
Author Bio:
Tender Care Lawn is a dedicated lawn care companystarted by Donald Lapoint and family in 2004 in southwest Louisiana. Our goal is to provide affordable, dependable, quality Landscape Maintenance Services. We believe in complete customer satisfaction. Our services include grass cutting, fertilization, weed control, shrub and hedge trimming in the Sulphur, Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Westlake, Carlyss and surrounding areas.

Lawn Care Company Tips for healthy houseplants

Any lawn care company will tell you that caring for indoor plants is quite different from the ones growing in your garden or lawn. One day they’re fine and the next they’re dropping leaves and are infested. For their proper maintenance you should get the right soil and fertilizer from a good land care company. These landscaping companies have mostly everything you need for your indoor plants.So how can you take care of your indoor plants properly?
You do need to pay attention to their basic needs, and take care of any pest problems right away. Here are a few tips that can help you keep your plants healthy:
1.Know your plants
First and foremost, know your plant. All plants have specific needs of food, water, soil, humidity and sunlight to survive. Make sure you choose houseplants that will thrive on the conditions you can provide at your home.
2.Sunlight
Different plants have different sunlight requirements. Sunlight is measured in these 3 ways – intensity, duration and quality. Always try to match your indoor plants to the environmental condition of your region and your home.
You can accordingly keep the plants near the windows, in the doorway or the patio. There are artificial light sources also, but nothing beats the natural light of the sun.
3.Quality of potting soil.
Purchase proper potting soil from a lawn care company or nursery. The right soil promotes healthy roots by providing a balance of proper moisture, aeration and nutrition.
4.Water
Just like sunlight, all plants have different water needs in different seasons. Plants tend to need less water in winter than when they’re actively growing in spring and summer. But there are some plants that grow better in winter and their needs are accordingly different.
Also some plants need to dry out slightly between watering, some need to stay moist at all the time, while some need to dry completely between watering sessions. It’s best to observe them and also study their watering needs before hand when you bring them home.
5.Fertilizing and controlling pests
Use of regular manure, fertilizers and pesticides is very important. Indoor plants are comparatively delicate and less resistant to pest attack. Since they are grown in pots, their capability of absorbing nutrients from earth are also restricted. As a result, they must be regularly fertilized and inspected for any infestation.
6.Warmth
Common house plants dislike hot and dry conditions. They’re more comfortable in a cooler, more moist condition than is typical in our homes. It’s advised to drop the temperature of the thermostat by about 8 to 10 degrees at night for better growth. But again you should study your plant’s needs first.
7.Humidity
Indoor conditions can get dry and drafty due to the use of radiators. Keep your plants away from heater vents, doorways and drafty windows. Increase humidity by setting plants on trays filled with water and layered with small pebbles.
You can also place them in naturally humid areas like kitchens or bathrooms but make sure they get adequate light and ventilation there.
Misting plants can also help increases humidity temporarily but it can also increase chances for foliage diseases.

8.Foliage cleansing
Dirty leaves block sunlight and harbor diseases and insects. Clean leaves by wiping them with a moist cloth or you may also hose them off once in awhile. Keep the temperature of the water lukewarm. Showering your plants will drain down the dust and also reduce the insect population.
9.Repotting
If you’re planning to re-pot your plant make sure to re-pot it in its growing season. This helps its chances to grow better in new spacing and soil.
Keep the size no more than 2 inches larger than the existing pot unless the plant needs a larger space than that.
While repotting use some part of old soil also as this will help your plant to adjust in new growing environment sooner.
Indoor plants bring nature to your home. They give a touch of green and improve air quality. Care for your plants properly and you’ll enjoy a healthy and beautiful home with them.
Contact Us today to schedule an appointment.
Author Bio: Tender Care Lawn is a dedicated lawn care companystarted by Donald Lapoint and family in 2004 in southwest Louisiana. Our goal is to provide affordable, dependable, quality Landscape Maintenance Services. We believe in complete customer satisfaction. Our services include grass cutting, fertilization, weed control, shrub and hedge trimming in the Sulphur, Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Westlake, Carlyss and surrounding areas.

5 ways to maintain your landscaping and lawns

A beautiful lawn and a well groomed landscape always adds to the beauty (and value) of your house and keeps you healthy and happy.
Maintaining a healthy and beautiful lawn can be a tedious and time consuming job, so most folks turn to Landscaping Companies for help and expert advice.
But there are a few things that you can do yourself even if you are new to gardening or lawn care:
Clean regularly
Oh it’s so big! It’s the work of Landscaping Companies. They are the ones who provide Landscape Maintenance Services. Yes it is. But don’t you want to feel connected to yourplants and land? Taking on a small area at a time, you can spot clean your whole lawn in 2 to 3 days. Plus, it’s a great way to relax and unwind. Walking barefoot on the grass is optional, but highly recommended!
Weeding
Weeds don’t look for an invitation. They arrive and checkin with no departure date in sight. Weed your garden regularly so that it doesn’t affect the beauty and health of your plants. You can hand pluck the weeds and can also use weed killer and fertilizers. You can also opt for low chemical or chemical free weed killers.
Regular plant inspection
Watching over your plants is as important as watching over a baby. They catch diseases if they aren’t taken care of. This can lead to poor flowering and fruit, death of the plant and even the spread of disease to other plants. Monitoring your plants regularly allows you to keep your plants healthy and beautiful.

Plant nutrition and watering
Every plant has specific water and nutritional needs. Quantity? How many times? It can be quite daunting. While getting your plant from the nursery, make sure to ask about the water, sunlight requirements, and nutritional needs of your plant.
Plant pruning
Regular pruning and maintenance helps in the healthy growth of the plants. Since it’s a tricky thing, we usually depend on Landscaping Companies for this maintenance service. But guess what? You can do it yourself, especially with your small plants.The trick is to know when to prune what plant and which pruner to use.

There’s a lot to gardening that you can do yourself. Engaging Landscaping Companies and their Lawn Care Services once a month is a great idea. At the same time do a few small things on your own. Not only will you spend more time in nature, but you’ll also enjoy your plants, show them love and lead a healthier life.
Tender Care Lawn Service is a family owned landscaping company established in 2004 in Sulphur, LA. Our land care services include lawn care, power washing, mosquito spraying, miniexcavator work, fertilization and weed control, sprinkler system programming and repair, shrub and hedge trimming, and landscape maintenance.

Dealing With Common Pests

Everyone dreams of a healthy, well-tended lawn. Just like big farms and plantations, even lawn plants and grass experience a variety of problems. Pest is one of them. They cause diseases, eat away your plants, and even kill them. It is often a challenge, to detect which pest is causing the problem and how to treat it. Here are some common pests and tips on preventing and treating them.
What are pests?
Destructive insects that feed on your plants and grass and cause diseases in them are called pests. Lawn damaging pests include insects, bugs and mites, with a fascinating diversity and number of species.
Some of the common pests are:
1.Aphids – They feed on plant juices and cause stunting and curling on new terminal growth.
2.Whiteflies – They are one of the most common and dangerous of all the pests. They feed on plant juices, infesting the lower leaf surface and cause sooty molds. They transmit viruses and cause spotted leaves.
3.Spider Mites – They are 8 legged small spider like parasites that feed on plant juices. They cause stippled leaves. They make webs, lay eggs and cast skins on leaves and stems which leads to infection in plants.
4.Thrips – Thrips feed on flowers and foliage. They infest the lower side of the leaf. They transmit plant diseases and cause leaf and flower distortion. They also cause bud drop and makes the plant flecked and bleached.
5.Caterpillars-They’re the larvae of butterflies and other moths. They feed on foliage and bore through the stems, leaves and soft wood causing infection and infestation of other parasites.
6.Mole crickets – There are 3 species of mole crickets commonly found in Louisiana. They feed on the grass roots. They tunnel down the turf and dry out the grass roots killing the turf.
7.Chinch bugs – They love hot and dry weather. So you need to be extra careful in summers. They feed on grass and grass juices leading to brown, curled and patchy turf.

Prevention measures to be taken:
1.Prevention is always better than cure. If you can prevent infestation in the first place, you’ll be able to avoid tons of damage and hard work. Some preventive measures you can take regularly are:
2.Inspect the plant thoroughly before you buy it. A healthy plant is the beginning of a healthy garden.
3.Select plants that are more adaptable to the climate and yard soil. Landscaping Companies can guide you in this area.
4.Select resistant varieties as they’re low maintenance.
5.Proper installation, maintenance and nutrition can help avoid infestation.
6.Get your lawn examined by a certified lawn care company every six months.
7.Water your plants early morning when leaves are naturally wet. This lowers their chances of catching a disease.
8.Establish barriers to prevent pest access to plants. E.g. Use yellow sticky sheets. These sheets kill whiteflies and other pests by attracting them to the sticky glue. It helps you control the pests and also gives you an estimation of the pests in your garden.
Removing pests organically:
1.Remove pests manually. This can be done only when they infestation is very small.
2.Remove the infested part of the plant. Pruning can help in the removal of the infested part so that the pests don’t weaken the complete plant.
3.Use biological control by using other organisms to control pests. These are commercially raised and can be bought easily from any landscaping company.
4.Lady beetles feed on aphids and other soft-body insects.
5.Big-eyed bugs feed on whiteflies, spider mites, thrips and aphids.
6.Use biodegradable soap and oil for your lawns. The soapy and oily water when spread on the lawn suffocates the pests and forces them to surface. But first test the water on a few leaves to check for any possible side-effects.
7.One safe solution is using Neem oil and Neem cakes. They’re really good for plants and pest prevention.
Chemical pesticides:
If at all you’re using a chemical pesticide, be sure to use the one recommended by a licensed landscaping company. The things to keep in mind are:
1.Use selective pesticides rather than broad spectrum pesticides.
Use the pesticide in a small area of yard where the infestation is abundant. Avoid using it in the whole lawn at once.
2.With the right methods and careful steps you can always keep your garden healthy and green.
Contact Us today to schedule an appointment.
Author Bio:
Tender Care Lawn is a dedicated lawn care company started by Donald Lapoint and family in 2004 in southwest Louisiana. Our goal is to provide affordable, dependable, quality Landscape Maintenance Services. We believe in complete customer satisfaction. Our services include grass cutting, fertilization, weed control, shrub and hedge trimming in the Sulphur, Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Westlake, Carlyss and surrounding areas.

How to take care of your garden in the summer

With the rising temperature of the summer season not just humans but plants also need extra care and hydration. If proper care and precautions are taken, summer can be the best season for your plants, as it’s the time for growth and regeneration. It’s also the time when your plants need attention and nutrition.
Here are some tips that you should follow to help your plants make the best of this growing season:

1. Water your plants more to make up for the lack of humidity in the atmosphere. Potted plants need special care as they can’t grow deep into the earth to get water. Even though the quantity of water varies according to the soil and plant type, the soil should generally be moist the whole day.
2. If your pot soil is sandy, mix some amount of clay. Sandy soil dries out easily. Mixing it with clay will help retain moisture.
3. Weeds love heat, which means they thrive in the hot conditions. When you notice weeds growing in your garden remove them immediately. Weeds are easiest to remove when they are young and the ground is moist.
4. Cover the top layer of the soil with 5 to 8 cm thick mulch, containing twigs, mowed grass, dead leaves, etc. It will not only provide extra fertilizer for the soil but will also help retain the moisture of the soil.
5. Potted plants should be kept in a cluster. This way they will face the sun from only one side and lose water only from the external side.
6. In the summer season, water the plants in the early morning or just after sunset, to avoid evaporation.
7. Proper pruning of plants should be done to remove extra foliage and avoid extra loss of water through transpiration.
8. The plant soil should be provided more fertilizer in summer to sustain their high growth and extra energy requirement after the dormant winter season.
9. When mowing during summer, restrain yourself from setting the blade too low. The more coverage the grass has, the healthier it will be.
10. In the middle of summer, your annuals and roses may need to have a flower fertilizer applied. This will help boost their performance and give them the best chance of surviving during the colder months. Potassium helps promote flower growth, while nitrogen encourages foliage growth.

Visit TenderCareLawnService.com for more information today .

How to water your plants properly?

How to water your plants properly

Watering your plants is not rocket science and there are no set rules. It’s a judgment call that grows with experience and depends on the type of plant, the soil, the weather and the time of year. You can always visit landscaping companies that can guide you or you can simply follow the tips here and get started today.
 1.Focus on the root zone – Remember that it’s the roots that need water and not the leaves. Leaves, if left wet overnight can get leaf-mould diseases and leaves that   are left wet in the sun develop slight burn marks at times.
 2.Keep them evenly moist – Plants mostly depend on even moisture spread. However, slight drying out before watering can promote root growth.
 3.Mulch your garden – Mulching reduces surface water runoff and slows down evaporation from the soil.
 4.Use the right irrigation tools – For complete watering at the root level, use a soaker hose or drip irrigation system instead of a sprinkler. You can get them from  landscaping companies.
 5.Water thoroughly – Usually two to three watering sessions per week are sufficient. It’s better to water seldom but plentiful rather than a little and very often.
 6.Water early in the morning or late in the evening – When you water your plants make sure that the soil is cool. This way less water evaporates and the plants and  soil absorb more. Also the heat from hot soil is injurious to the health of plants.
 7.Distribute watering – Always watering at the same place leads to one-sided root growth causing poor nutrient absorption by the soil. Therefore, always water around  the plant and distribute in the entire irrigation area.
 8.Avoid waterlogging – Waterlogging suppresses the breathing air of the roots out of the soil. Be sure to use a pitchfork to keep the soil aerated so that the water  gets absorbed well and the roots can breathe.
 9.Use clay-rich quality soil – Soil that is rich in clay minerals has better expanding properties and can therefore hold water better and in a more even way. But in  wet summers and in winter, ensure water drainage to prevent waterlogging.

Taking shortcuts can often lead to lawn and plants problems later. Take the time and effort to do a thorough inspection of your plants and their water needs to have a healthy garden. If you’re a newbie, you can look for some lawn care services to assist in getting started.

How to Prepare Soil for a New Lawn

Soil preparation is not an art but rather a science. You need to take care of the dosage of everything your soil needs. Whether it’s water, fertilizers or pesticides, a careful preparation can make all the difference between a green, healthy lawn and a poorly grown one. All the landscaping companies insist on the right nutrition at the right time to get the best results.

1. Weeding – Removing weeds is essential. Whether you use mowing, hand picking, or weed spray depends on the severity of infestation. If you have a big infestation of weeds, you should always spray them out first and then start other tasks two weeks later. Try to opt for low chemical or chemical free weed killers.

2. Aeration – Check if the soil of your lawn is hard and compact. If yes, use a pitchfork or spade to turn over the soil to a depth of 12 inches. If the lawn is vast use an aerator for the task. Landscaping companies also offer different aeration services.
3. Levelling – Levelling is important for lawns. This helps to fill and fix potholes and depressions in your lawn. Fill the holes and level with a spade or back of a rake. Once the soil has been leveled, it should be lightly firmed down to knock out large air pockets and prevent the soil level from dropping too much.
4. pH testing – Before adding any fertilizers or pesticides, we suggest soil testing. Soil testing reveals the oil pH and amount of available nutrients such as phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). If major modifications are needed, it is easier to make these prior to establishing the lawn.

5. Fertilizers and manure – Starter fertilizers should be mixed into the soil surface prior to lawn establishment. These are typically high in phosphorous. Balanced fertilizers have a balanced ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N, P, K). Manure is a natural fertilizer that’s rich in nitrogen. You can use it as a fertilizer, mix it with other ingredients to create your own lawn food, or layer it on grass as a thin mulch. Manure helps in keeping your lawn healthy with its high nitrogen and phosphorus content.
6. Watering – Every lawn has specific water needs depending on the climate, fertilizers and manure used, and the soil. Get the right instructions from a lawn care company about the water requirement of your lawn for proper nutrition absorption and moisture regulation.

Now your lawn is ready to grow anything you want. Go out and experiment!

How to choose the right plants for your garden

Choosing the right plants for your garden varies from your personal preferences to the plants that can be grown in the given space and climate.

Before you decide on the plants, be sure to make a plan.

1. Expenses – Your budget is the most important thing. How much the plants will cost? What kind of fertilizers will they need? Will they need any special maintenance service that can only be provided by landscaping companies? Once your budget is defined, you can move on other important things.
2. Space – Sometimes when you get a plant at home, you forget to analyze how big it will grow when it’s full size. Make sure you are aware of the space you can afford for each plant when it matures and attains full size.
3. Climatic conditions – What are the climatic conditions of your area? How suitable is it for the plant you choose? How much attention does it need in each season? You have to get all the information from the nursery or you can also get a lesson from a lawn care company.
4. Availability – How easily are the pesticides, manure and fertilizers for your plant available? Do they need anything special that is not commonly available at nurseries and lawn care companies?

Once you have taken care of the basics, we can move to the type of plants you can choose to have in your garden. There are different types of plants and trees you can plant in your garden and get a beautiful and refreshing look.

1. Plants around the perimeter – For the perimeter of the house choose small trees and shrubs that look good year-round and remain small. Place them so that they won’t grow into the house or damage the foundation with their roots. Avoid entrances and windows as they may block them when they are mature.
2. Trees – When choosing trees, first decide on their placement in your garden and then accordingly choose the tree with the right height, width, form and color. You should also determine if you want fruit or berries or flower yielding trees. Trees can be evergreen or deciduous. Evergreens are great for spots that need green year-round while deciduous will offer more variety, changing their look with each season, and offering beautiful leaves, flowers, and fruit.
3. Shrubs – Shrubs and shrub borders are low-maintenance alternatives to flower borders. Like trees, shrubs are also evergreen and deciduous. They can fill a landscape with flowers, fragrance and colors. When choosing a shrub, consider characteristics like size, flower or berries, bloom time, leaf form and seasonal color.
4. Groundcovers – Ground covers require less maintenance than the lawn. They are thick and grow vigorously. They help keeping weeds away and need less water. But beware of the over-vigorous ground covers as they tend to choke out the less aggressive plants.
5. Perennials and Annuals – Perennials bloom year after year, for a season or at least for two weeks, depending on the variety. They are more expensive initially, but save money over time. Annuals on the other hand are less expensive than perennials initially, but they die after one year and hence need replacement.
6. Vines – They are the best to make the most out of a small garden as they use little ground space. They add greenery and colors to your walls and tree trunks. When you choose an annual or perennial vine, see to how it attaches itself to its support. Some vines twine while others grow out tendrils. There are some that cling. The clinging types are somewhat permanent and are suitable only for brick, stone, and other surfaces that are virtually maintenance-free.

Before selecting any type of plants or trees, be sure to visit a nursery or a lawn care company and get complete information on sun, soil, and water requirements of the plants. You should also learn about how long the plant blooms, what the flowers and leaves look like, any diseases or pests that threaten them, when the trees drop their leaves and over what period of time, their seasonal colors and suitability to your climate.

It’s great to have exotic plants and flowers in your garden but you need to ensure that you have the time, money and tools to take care of your precious plants.

How to Fertilize Your Lawn Properly

Why do you need to fertilize your lawn?

A healthy and fast growing lawn needs a lot of energy and nutrition. The soil does provide some of it but soil and water alone cannot provide all the nutrients. So we need fertilizers for extra nutrition and healthy growth of a lawn.

Since every lawn is different with different climatic conditions, soil type and grass, landscaping companies have different types of fertilizers to fulfill the needs of every type of lawn.

Fertilizers help your lawn stay healthy by:

1. Providing the right amount of all the nutrients
2. Promoting the growth of new leaves and root
3. Aiding recovery from foot traffic and pest damage
4. Controlling and reducing weeds

How do you choose the right fertilizer?

While selecting the fertilizer for your lawn, you should focus on the following:

1. Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are the main ingredients of a fertilizer. The 20-5-10 mixture is a good basic mix for spring.
2. A slow-release fertilizer with the right amount of nitrogen is considered better. It breaks down the nutrients over a longer period of time, giving you a longer gap between applications.
3. The type of grass, season and its growing period.
4. The pH of the soil. Sometimes the regular mix of 20-5-10 may not be the best option due to pH imbalances in the lawn soil.

Steps for the proper application of fertilizers

1. Fertilizing warm season grass
1. Start fertilizing when the grass turns green in Spring.
2. The growing season of this grass is late Spring and Summer when the temperature is between 80 to 95° Fahrenheit, although they also grow outside of this range.
3. Use either slow or quick-release fertilizer, but schedule fertilization accordingly so the fertilizer is used before the onset of severe heat.
4. Begin fertilizing again after the intense heat of the Summer has subsided.
5. Fertilizing too much is not a good thing. Design a schedule for fertilization.
6. Always follow the lawn care company’s instructions when fertilizing your lawn to avoid damage.
2. Fertilizing cool season grass
1. Fertilize heavily in the Fall and lightly in the early spring.
2. The growing season of this grass is during the cool months of Spring and fall when the temperature is between 60 to 70° Fahrenheit.
3. Fertilize when the intense heat has subsided, but well before the onset of severe cold weather.
4. Since fall is the favorite time of year for cool season grasses, you may choose to apply a special winterizer fertilizer for the fall application. These fertilizers are specially-formulated to help protect the grass during the Winter months.
5. In the Spring, begin fertilizing early. You may use either slow or quick-release but schedule fertilization accordingly so the fertilizer used before the onset of the hot Summer when cool-season grasses often go dormant.
6. Fertilizing too much is not a good thing. Create a schedule for fertilization.
3. Spraying liquid fertilizer

1. Fill the sprayer canister with liquid fertilizer and carefully attach the canister unit to the end of your garden hose.
2. Move at a steady pace to cover the entire lawn evenly.
3. Spray from side to side.
4. Do not apply other chemicals, such as herbicides or insecticides, at the same time as the fertilizer.
5. Buy fertilizers only enough for the season. Leftover fertilizer does not store very well.
4. Spreading granular fertilizer
1. Make sure the spreader and the fertilizer is dry.
2. Set the rate-of-flow lever according to the setting listed on the fertilizer bag. If you’re unsure either contact a lawn care company or apply less rather than more.
3. Wear gloves and a dust mask and keep the fertilizer away from your eyes and skin.
4. For complete coverage, cut the recommended application rate in half and apply evenly in a criss-cross manner.
5. Clean the spreader thoroughly after use.
6. Clean up any excess fertilizer from sidewalks and driveways.

The most important thing you can do for your lawn is to feed it well. A well-fed lawn is healthier, which means it has a better root system and resistance to combat heat, cold, drought, mowing, foot traffic and other stresses.

Tender Care Lawn Service is a family owned landscaping company established in 2004 in Sulphur, LA. Our land care services include lawn care, mosquito spraying, mini­excavator work, fertilization and weed control, sprinkler system programming and repair, shrub and hedge trimming, and landscape maintenance.