Why landscaping companies recommend living Christmas trees

  

    

As Christmas draws near, folks look forward to the tradition of decorating their Christmas tree with their families. Often there’s a debate on whether to use a cut tree or an artificial one. Landscaping companies now present another contender for consideration – a living Christmas tree.
Those that are afflicted by allergies may choose an artificial tree, whereas those that look forward to the piney fragrance opt for a cut tree. However, landscaping companies know that there are pros and cons to each option. Cutting trees for a few weeks of Christmas spirit is a sad prospect especially when it comes time to dispose of the tree, although the tree can be re-purposed and used for mulch, for firewood, or even around your yard and lake. Artificial trees on the other hand are usually made from non-biodegradable materials and ultimately just serve as garnish on a landfill.

The benefits of a living Christmas tree

We grow up with the idea that Christmas is incomplete without a Christmas tree. This idea soon becomes a tradition. As our lawn care services team has grown older and wiser, we have realized that importance, not only from an environmental perspective but also from a sentimental one, that preserving that tree is vital. Not only does it serve as a reminder, every day, of the feelings of love and joy, but we also save a tree, and turn away from tree felling for commercial purposes.
A fir tree in your back or even front yard not only adds a different flavour to your garden, but imagine decorating your tree for different holidays such as halloween, 4th of July, and even thanksgiving! Who says that a Christmas tree can’t be a holiday tree?

Landscaping companies can help get you ready for a living Christmas tree

When preparing for a potted Christmas tree that will soon find a permanent home in your garden, it’s important to plan ahead.

Acclimatizing the tree
Before bringing the tree indoors and moving it back outdoors, it’s important to acclimatize the tree over a period of up to 2 weeks. Move the tree to an indoor-outdoor area such as an open garage or covered area for a few days and then bring it indoors. In your home, find a place for it that is away from heated areas such as furnaces, fireplaces, and vents. It’s best to limit the indoor period for the tree to less than 2 weeks.
Before re-planting, re-do the acclimatizing process before planting the tree in it’s new home. To reduce needle loss while the tree is indoors, talk to our landscape maintenance services team about antidesiccant or anti-wilt chemicals.

Preparing the new home
During the acclimatization process, it’s also important to identify and prepare a permanent home for the tree in your garden. Our lawn care services team can assist by determining the dimensions for the dig area based on your tree’s root ball. The area should be deep enough to match the depth of the root ball, but twice the width. Landscaping companies recommend doing this before the ground freezes so that you don’t have to put in the extra elbow grease to dig through hardened soil.

Planting and aftercare
Our landscape maintenance services experts can undertake the proper planting and after-care needed for your tree to ensure that it survives the transition from your home to your garden. This includes helping with identifying the best home for your tree, digging the area, working with you on the acclimatization process, planting the tree, mulch and water management, and even periodic checks to ensure that the tree is flourishing in it’s new home.
A living Christmas tree will bring joy to your family and garden year-round and start a new tradition and appreciation for trees and memories.

Author: Percy LaPoint

Contact us:

Lawn care services

Address : 2315 Gaylynn Dr. Sulphur, LA 70665

Fax: 337-313-0489

Our lawn maintenance services team talks about leaf cleanup

 

Ah, it’s autumn and that means cooler weather, fall colors, and cozy evenings. Landscaping companies know that autumn also brings with it the fall of the leaves as the trees prepare for the coming winter. This is the time when many of our customers call our lawn maintenance services team for our leaf cleanup service.

Why it’s important to clean up the fallen leaves

As your grass starts preparing for winter, fallen leaves can be a hindrance to essential sunlight and air that’s needed. A layer of leaves can also block access to nutrients and hamper the healthy growth of your grass.

It can also reduce the evaporation rate and trap water between the leaves and the soil which can lead to other problems such as mold, fungus, brown patch, and other diseases in the leaf blades.
To compound things, grass that’s constantly damp also is an open invitation to mosquitoes which can really put a damper on your evenings in your garden.

Come spring, you could be dealing with having to nurse your garden back to health rather than it coming back to life naturally.

What our lawn maintenance services team does with the leaves

It’s important to plan your lawn care services even in the fall. Beyond having pre-and post-emergent and potassium applied to your lawn, it’s good to have your lawn maintenance services team handle your fallen leaves.

It may be tempting and fun to make a leaf pile for the kids to dive into, but once that’s done, you still have some cleanup to deal with.
Another option is to rake all your leaves, bag them, and wait for trash collection day.
Instead, our lawn maintenance services team recommends mulching or composting the leaves as an eco-friendly option.

Mulching requires a lawn mower with the added functionality of mulching down the leaves. The leaves then re-cycle their nutrients back into the soil and feed the grass and other plants. Leaf mulch like others helps regulate the temperature of the soil during winter and also decrease the chances of weeds. It’s important though that the leaves are disease free to avoid spreading disease to other plants in your garden.

To use the leaves as compost, our lawn care services team bags the leaves during mowing which makes it easy to add to your compost pit or pile and convert them into nutrient rich soil for your plants and trees. Not only are you ridding your lawn of strewn leaves, you’re putting them to good use for the rest of your plants.

Author: Percy LaPoint

Contact us:

Lawn care services

Address : 2315 Gaylynn Dr. Sulphur, LA 70665

Fax: 337-313-0489

Landscaping companies share tips on avoiding soil erosion

Landscaping companies know that soil erosion is a common enough problem that can cause pain and heartache.  After designing and establishing your lawn, it can be quite a surprise to find that over time, your yard is no longer level or that heavy rains have washed away precious soil from your trees and plants.

Understanding soil erosion

Simply put, soil erosion is a loss of soil.  Although erosion is a natural and expected phenomenon in nature, soil erosion in a yard can mean loss of nutrition for plants and trees, blockage in drains, and possibly uneven patches in your yard.
Soil erosion on a small scale is expected, however, to avoid larger scale erosion and surmounting erosion issues over time, it’s best to identify landscaping companies that can proactively inspect and address problems areas before they happen.

How landscaping companies identify and combat soil erosion problems

Landscaping companies recommend different and possibly several measures depending on the severity of the issue.  Once a thorough inspection has been done of your garden, potential problem areas are identified and addressed.  Details about past problems can also be very informative when trying to create an action plan to minimize soil erosion. 

1.Checking your watering and drainage
One of the first things landscaping companies will check is your watering schedule.  Are you overwatering your lawn?  How often you water your garden and for how long?  If rains are expected, your watering schedule should be adjusted so that the yard doesn’t get smothered.

2.Plant trees, shrubs, and grass
Trees and shrubs when planted strategically are great for soil retention as their root system holds on to the soil and keeps it in place.  Their leaves can act as umbrellas to block rain and reduce the impact on the soil.

3.Use mulch to reduce soil erosion
Mulch has many benefits beyond soil erosion, so it’s always a good idea to use mulch in your yard.  Whether your landscape maintenance services team uses grass clippings as mulch or spreads bark chips, both work well as they weigh down the soil, and help keeping it in place.

4.Put in pathways and walkways
Pathways and walkways enable you to navigate your lawn without stepping on the soil directly.  This ensures that the soil doesn’t get clumped together and compacted which reduces erosion due to water runoff.  It also enables roots to be better established in the soil.

5.Use borders, retaining walls, or fiber logs
Borders, retaining walls, and fiber logs contain the soil that gets washed away due to water runoff.  This is especially useful around flower beds, raised areas, around trees, and sloping areas.  From time to time, the soil will need to be leveled to reduce soil buildup against the structures.

6.Aerate soil
Landscaping companies know that good soil is the foundation for a robust lawn.  Hence it’s important to retain as much of it as possible to keep your garden healthy.

Author: Percy LaPoint

Contact us:

Lawn care services

Address : 2315 Gaylynn Dr. Sulphur, LA 70665

Fax: 337-313-0489

Learn about hydroseeding from our lawn care services experts

Our lawn care services team is often engaged to establish a lawn for new homeowners.  Establishing a new lawn can be accomplished in different ways depending on preference, requirements, and area of the land.  Common options are growing a lawn from seed, laying out sod, or even hydroseeding.

What our lawn care services team recommends you consider before getting a new lawn started

It’s important to not only consider how your lawn space is going to be used, but also think about the aftercare and long term landscape maintenance needs of your lawn before getting started.
Different grasses require different levels of care.  Discuss your grass preferences and lawn uses with our landscape maintenance services team so that the right type of grass is established in your lawn.
Talk about irrigation and drainage needs with our lawn care services team before you start with the lawn.  This ensures that you don’t have to dig up your lawn after your grass has been established and any custom drainage needs can be determined so that you’re not dealing with drainage woes later on.
Once your irrigation and grass needs have been discussed and worked out, our landscape maintenance services team can advise you on the best method of establishing your lawn.  A popular method for medium to large lawns is hydroseeding.  This method enables us to quickly spread the grass seed across a large area of land in a fairly short amount of time, saving you money on labor costs.  It’s especially effective on sloping areas as the seed is sprayed on directly to the soil surface and can adhere easily.
Before the seeding work begins, the dirt work needs to be completed.  A thin layer of topsoil is essential to allow the seed to take root.  Our lawn care services team ensures that the grade work is as smooth as possible to avoid dips and humps which affect the appearance and future maintenance of the lawn.

The hydroseeding process

Once your lawn is ready for seeding, our lawn care services team will discuss your seed options.  Bermuda seed is the most popular choice due to how quickly it germinates. The grass germinates within 10-14 days and the first mowing usually happens after 1 month.  Other popular options are centipede – which is really slow growing – and zoysia.
The Hydroseed mixture consist of seed at 1 pound per 1000 sq. ft. with a fertilizer to stimulate good root growth.  This is mixed in 100% wood fiber mulch with a tackifer that helps it stick to the ground so that the seed doesn’t blow away with the wind or get washed away in case of rain.  The ingredients are combined and then transported to the final location.
Before the slurry mixture is hydraulically sprayed on the ground, our landscape maintenance services team covers fences and other structures to ensure that they are protected from any spray.
Our team knows that the key to successful germination is the mulch as it’s essential for the growth of the seed.  The mulch retains moisture that’s needed during germination, protects the seeds from extreme heat, and also helps adhere the seed to the soil thereby preventing erosion.  Over time, the mulch also decomposes and mixes into the soil.

Aftercare and lawn maintenance services you should plan for

Landscaping companies make it a practice of sharing some simple after care instructions for a new lawn.  With hydroseeding, the most important thing to keep in mind is watering the new lawn.
If you haven’t opted for a sprinkler system, you can place sprinklers around your yard and water the lawn twice a day in the hot summers.  Each watering should be for 10 to 20 minutes.  It’s helpful to put timers on the faucet to avoid having to keep track of the duration each session.
If you have sloping areas, keep in mind that water runoff can occur, so rather than over water, you may want to water an extra time each day but for a shorter duration.
Although hydroseeding mulch doesn’t contain any weed seeds, it is still possible to see weeds germinate as the combination of top soil, mulch, and fertilizer can make it an ideal breeding ground for weeds to take root.  You can weed as needed or talk to our lawn care services team about preventative measures and other ongoing lawn maintenance services.
Hydroseeding can be a very beneficial method of establishing a new lawn as it provides cost savings due to effective and quick application.  The germination rate of the seed is also higher with hydroseeding and you can enjoy your new lawn quickly with the short duration of time required for lawn establishment.

Author: Percy LaPoint

Contact us:

Lawn care services

Address : 2315 Gaylynn Dr. Sulphur, LA 70665

Fax: 337-313-0489

The flowering dogwood presented by our landscape maintenance services team

If you’re looking to create a serene and ethereal scene in your garden, look no further. Our landscape maintenance services team is happy to recommend just the tree for you – the flowering dogwood.

Our lawn maintenance services team shares their experience on the flowering dogwood

The flowering dogwood is a sturdy tree with beautiful blooms that make an appearance starting in spring and continue through summer. The blooms are usually white although there are red, pink, and blend varieties as well. The varieties of flowering dogwood include Blue Ray Kousa dogwood, Celestial Shadow dogwood, Cherokee Brave dogwood, Cherokee Chief dogwood, Cloud 9 dogwood, pink flowering dogwood, red flowering dogwood, and Kousa dogwood.
The flowers have a diameter of about 3-4 inches and bloom in April, generally ahead of the leaf display. Not to be outdone, most varieties have leaves that change color in the fall or have interesting leaf patterns, that ensure the beauty of the tree during fall as well. The flowers give way to berries that attract birds during the winter, making this a wonderful tree year-round.
Select your planting site to suit your needs and view while also considering your variety’s needs for sun and soil to enable the tree to grow to its full potential. Although you can grow dogwood from seed, to take advantage of the blooms sooner, it’s best to opt for a potted tree. Our landscape maintenance services team can transplant trees to ensure that the root ball is handled carefully and transplanted properly. They will also share aftercare instructions with you so you can give your tree the attention it needs while it adapts to its new home.
The blooms will convince you to become more of an outdoors person and spend many an hour under the tree enjoying a book, a picnic, or just the view. Expect to wow everyone with this elegant choice of trees.

Our landscape maintenance services team gives some tips about planning your garden

It’s best to ascertain your gardening goals before going to a nursery and randomly selecting trees. Most of our clients want a yard that is inviting and appealing throughout the year. In cases such as these, our lawn maintenance services team discusses tree options and elaborates on each tree’s blooms, fragrances, benefits, care requirements, and seasons.
It’s also important to select trees based on your yard size, soil and drainage, and placement plans. If your yard is smaller, you may need to alter your tree selection. Alternately, certain trees that may have potentially invasive roots should be placed at a distance from structures to avoid damage to the tree or property.
Trees provide tremendous benefits to a garden. With this addition to your yard, you have erosion control, a shady spot to read a book, an attraction for the birds, and mostly a beautiful sight to behold.
Author: Tender Care Lawn Service
Author Bio: Tender Care Lawn Service is one of the fastest growing landscaping companies in southwest Louisiana that provides grass cutting, landscape maintenance, and other lawn care services across the country.
Address: 2315 Gaylynn Dr, Sulphur, LA 70665, USA

Landscape maintenance services that weather the storm

Landscaping companies are often in high demand during the months of June through September because of storms. In addition to our usual landscape maintenance services, we often get calls after a storm due to storm related damage. Being proactive is the best way to go to avoid having to wait for a cleanup crew to arrive while dealing with the storm damage.

Landscape maintenance services before a storm

It’s best to keep your lawn in good shape so that you’re not caught unawares when a storm arrives. Doing a cursory check of your garden and surrounding areas will help you determine any potential hazards that need to be dealt with. Some quick things to check or have checked by our lawn maintenance services team are –

• Trees –

Check for any weakness in trees or limbs to determine if they need pruning. Dead limbs or trees can cause much havoc if not properly dealt with. Damage to your garden, fence, other trees, or even your home can occur due to fallen trees or limbs. If storms are strong enough, uprooted trees can also be hazardous, so it’s good to check that trees are well rooted in the surrounding soil.

• Permanent and temporary structures –

This is also a good time to check your fences, play structures, and any other garden structures you may have. Our landscape maintenance services team can secure fence posts and other garden structures like fountains and lighting to help them withstand the storm.

• Low lying areas –

If you have low lying areas in your yard, our landscape maintenance services team can help level things out so you don’t have to deal with patches, flooding, or mosquitos after a storm.

• Drainage –

Check to make sure that your drains are functioning properly and aren’t blocked to avoid flooding and pooling of water.
Being prepared before a storm is definitely a more cost effective approach. You also benefit from our team getting to you in enough time to address your needs rather than having to wait till other customers are taken care of in the aftermath of a storm.

Landscape maintenance services after a storm

Sometimes, a storm can take you by surprise, and cleanup is inevitable. Despite your best efforts, damage could be caused by debris that’s traveled from a neighboring property or further away. It’s always best to simply handle things in a calm and methodical way. If it’s safe to go out and survey your property, do so. Make a list of all the things that need to be dealt with and determine what you can do yourself and where you may need the assistance of our lawn maintenance services team. Using proper equipment and gear, take care of leaves, branches, and other manageable debris. For larger debris, trees, limbs, fences, etc. you may need to contact a professional. Landscaping companies can take care of most of your yard related cleanup and fixes. For tasks that are outside our scope of services, we can recommend reputable and experienced service providers that can assist.
So don’t let storms and bad weather uproot your sense of calm. Our lawn maintenance team is at your service both before and after stormy weather.
Author
Percy LaPoint

Our lawn maintenance services and grass cutting services team talks about stinging grass

Our grass cutting services team often comes across vicious weeds in yards during our regular maintenance.  Our clients too sometimes have the misfortune of discovering vengeful flora and hastily contact our lawn maintenance services team for the guidance and assistance.  What could possibly be the cause of such fear and loathing?  Stinging plants and grass could incite a rash of fear amongst the calmest of people.

Our grass cutting services team helps you recognize stingers

Our grass cutting services team can easily identify rogue plants that can be considered harmful to humans and pets.  There are may such plants and grasses to watch out for.
Among these are the burning nettles and stinging nettles which generally affect fence rows, ditch banks, and roadsides.  The bulb of these plants encloses a needle-like point which penetrates the skin on contact.  This results in reddish rash-type patches on the affected area and itching and burning as well.
Certain weeds can also be the source of much grief such as Lawn Bur Weed or “stinging grass” and Sawgrass.  Lawn Bur Weed or spurweed thrives during the fall months and goes through a rapid growth period in early spring.  The burs stick and prick.  Sawgrass (which is not really a grass), has sharp teeth like points along its leaves which can be quite painful.

Our lawn maintenance services team advises on dealing with the weed

The first step when encountering such a pest is proper diagnosis.  The best way to approach things is cautiously.  If you’ve already been stung, take care of the affected area.  Then, amply armed, re-approach the problem spot and identify if it’s an insect-based infestation or a plant-based infestation that you’re dealing with.  If it is in fact plant-based, contact your landscape maintenance services team and have them eliminate the infestation.  They should also inspect other parts of your yard to ensure that the infestation hasn’t spread already and treat the lawn to avoid any nasty surprises in the future.  Another option is to take a sample of the suspect to your local home and garden store and ask for advice on what the proper elimination method is.  Either way, be sure to handle the plant carefully to avoid direct contact and also mark the spot to ensure family members and pets stay well away till the infestation has been handled.

Our landscape maintenance services team shares tips on how to deal with the rash

When dealing with a sting or a burn, it’s natural to want to touch the area and investigate it.  Unfortunately that spreads the poison/acid injected by the plant.  Rinse the area with cold water.  Certain soaps can aggravate the problem.  Some natural remedies you can use are –

1. Baking soda and cold water – combine the two and make a paste, then apply it to the affected area.  Use a dabbing  motion rather than spreading the paste.  This will help to relieve some of the symptoms.
2. Aloe vera juice – this versatile and medicinal plant is used for many ailments and aloe vera juice can also be used to reduce the burning and treat the inflamed area.
3. Dockweed and jewelweed – these little heroes generally grow in the vicinity of nettles.  Crush the leaves and apply to the affected area.

In case of severe cases, contact a medical professional for advice and assistance.
Any lawn maintenance services expert will tell you that prevention is certainly better than cure.  If you’re afflicted by these or other weeds, talk to our grass cutting services team about the health of your lawn and the best way to ensure that these weeds don’t infest your garden.
Author:
Tender Care Lawn Service

Why landscaping companies prefer mulching over bagging

Landscaping companies discuss certain options with their customers.  Among these is the choice of mulching or bagging grass clippings.  There are some folks that prefer bagging so that they don’t have to deal with the possibility of grass clippings getting blown about or even out of lack of knowledge of the benefits of mulching.  Our grass cutting services team takes the time to advise each customer about the pros of mulching grass before they start mowing so that a well-informed decision can be made.

So why do landscaping companies prefer mulching anyway?

There are many types of mulches available in the market and can be bought in bags or in bulk.  However, here’s something to consider.  Grass clippings and even leaves can be mulched and used in your garden.

Grass clippings and leaves are an organic option for your lawn.  This can mean quite a bit in savings since you don’t have to buy mulch from a store.

Mulching your grass also returns important nutrients back to the soil, namely water and nitrogen, which fertilizes the soil and keeps your grass healthy.  Healthy grass, in turn, means less weeds, and a reduced need for spraying or spreading weed killers.  Plus, with “grass-cycling”, you can reduce your need for packaged fertilizer as well.

Additionally, mulching also keeps your soil cool by conserving the water level in the soil and reducing the rate of evaporation.  This is especially helpful during the summer or if you’re getting away for the weekend and won’t be able to water your lawn.

Here are some tips from our grass cutting services team

Landscaping companies that offer grass cutting services follow certain best practices when it comes to mulching grass clippings.

A mower that’s geared toward mulching is your best bet for quality mulching. A mulching mower has a special blade which mulches the clipped grass and spreads it back on the lawn. It’s important to have a mower with enough power to mulch for the best results. It’s also important not to speed through the mowing process or you’ll end up with patchy results. Our grass cutting services team also inspects our equipment before mowing to ensure that the mower is grass free and the blade is sharp enough to do the job.

Landscaping companies will often advise not to mow more than 1/3rd of the grass length at a time. This ensures that the existing grass stays healthy and can grown back effectively. During summers it’s prudent to mow more frequently as grass tends to grow faster. This may seem like a huge undertaking but it’s healthier for your lawn versus waiting for longer periods between mowings. Shorter clippings break down faster and ensure that a thatching problem does not occur in your garden.

It’s also better not to mow shortly after watering your lawn to avoid grass sticking to your lawn mower blades and causing grass to clump together which results in an uneven mow.

Landscaping companies are always happy to share tips and advice on growing and maintaining a healthy lawn. Reach out to our team by phone or email with any questions you have on lawn and garden care.

Landscape Maintenance and Grass cutting services – Zoysia grass

Homeowners and builders often ask their landscaping companies for recommendations on which grass is the best choice.  Our landscape maintenance services and grass cutting services team is experienced and can guide you on which grass to choose based on your individual needs.

There are many grasses that you can choose from including Bermuda, Fescue, Kentucky BlueGrass, Centipede, Carpet Grass, and our all time favorites – Zoysia.

Why our landscape maintenance services team prefers Zoysia

1.It’s well suited for our climate –

Although zoysia is a warm season grass, it can tolerate cold weather very well and go dormant during the winter.  In the spring, when temperatures climb to around 50° it “awakens” and turns from golden brown to green again.

2.It requires less water –

Zoysia grass requires less watering as it’s root system goes deep into the soil and also extends laterally.  This enables the root system to find moisture within the soil rather than requiring frequent waterings.

3.It’s weed resistant –

As Zoysia’s root system goes deep as well as extends sideways in multiple directions, it runners create a dense sod which give little room for weeds to take root.  This reduces the chemicals you need to use in your garden making it safer for your family and pets.

4.It’s family and pet friendly –

If you’re looking for a grass that can bear up to heavy foot and paw traffic, this one’s your best bet.  Since Zoysia spreads in multiple directions and forms a dense sod, it repairs itself in case of damage.  It can also handle pet waste better than other grasses, however if you’re concerned about the health of your grass, talk with your landscape maintenance services or grass cutting services team about damage preventative measures.

5.It tolerates the shade and sunshine –

Large trees can often affect the health and growth of your grass.  Trees can usurp valuable nutrients and also block out necessary sunlight needed by the grass.  Zoysia bears up well as long as it gets between 2 and 4 hours of direct sunlight each day.  Your landscape maintenance services team or grass cutting services team can also test your soil periodically to ensure that the soil pH is between 6 – 7.

6.It’s great for areas prone to erosion –

Since Zoysia’s root system goes deep and the runners spread in different directions, it serves as a great preventer of soil erosion for areas that are prone to flooding or are sloping.

What our grass cutting services has to say about Zoysia

Zoysia requires less mowing, in fact almost 2/3rd less than other grasses.  This is because Zoysia grows laterally which slows the upwards growth.  The grass should be mowed if it’s height exceeds 1/3rd inch over 1½ to 2½ inches.  During the summer months, it’s best to increase the mowing height.  This reduces the stress on your lawn.

Since Zoysia is naturally weed resistant, less chemicals are required for the maintenance and upkeep of your lawn.  Mowing helps keep weeds at bay and improves the health of your grass.

Our grass cutting services team also recommends periodically removing the cuttings after mowing the grass.  This reduces the chances of thatching and enables water, fertilizers, and sunshine to easily reach the grass.

Zoysia has proven time and time again, to be the top choice for our landscape maintenance services team as well as our residential and commercial clients.  Even builders that are starting new projects, choose Zoysia for their lawns and gardens.

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.

Landscape maintenance and grass cutting services – How to properly transplant plants

You envision a garden with vibrant colors, but before you head to the nearest nursery, talk to a landscape maintenance services and grass cutting services professional to get guidance on buying the right plants and installing them in your yard.

There are so many options to choose from that one can almost go dizzy, but when it comes to selecting plants for your garden, there are a few things to keep in mind like –

• Where you’re planning on installing them
• What their soil, water, and sun needs are
• How much after care do they require

Planning for the longer term with your grass cutting services team

If your plan is place plants in different places around your garden, it’s important to talk with your grass cutting services team to ensure that the plants and grass can peacefully coexist without encroaching on one another or being in danger of accidentally getting run over by the mower or trimmer. Your grass cutting services team or landscape maintenance services team could guide you on where to place your plant and also advise you if a flower or plant bed would be the best way to go. They can even help you with plant placement before the installation to ensure that you have an actual visual of what the end result will look like before you dig.

Transplanting the plants

If your plants don’t come with transplanting instructions, be sure to ask someone at the nursery or even your grass cutting services team for advice. If you have many different plants that you’re installing, it’s probably best to engage a landscape maintenance services team for the job.

There are a couple of aspects to think of when transplanting plants. If the area where you’re installing them needs to be cleared, it’s best to get the area prepared beforehand and ensure that the soil can be easily dug up to make a home for your new plant. Each hole should be large enough to accommodate the root ball of the plant with a little extra space all around.

When purchasing the plants, ask if the plants need to be hardened. The hardening process involves leaving the plants outside for a few hours in a shady area, then bringing them in. Increase the duration each day. In about a week’s time, they should be outside all day.

When installing plants that are in a small container, it may be easy enough to carefully turn the pot over, tap the container, and slide the plant out. Before turning over the pot though, carefully support the plant between your fingers to ensure that the stem doesn’t snap or the plant doesn’t fall out. Take the plant and existing soil, and carefully place it in it’s new home. If there’s some space between the plant and the hole, add some soil around it, but avoid packing it down to give the roots some room to breathe. Water your plants after installing them.

If your plants are in a bigger container, use a shovel to circle around the inner circumference of the pot to loosen the dirt. Carefully lift the plant out of the pot and place it in it’s new home.

Transplanting plants can be a big daunting if you’ve heard of or experienced transplant shock. Plants that aren’t installed correctly can result in damaged roots, stems, or even completely failed transplants.

Here are a couple of tips to help you along your way –

• Be careful while digging to ensure that there are no pipes or underground cables that could get damaged.
• Keep the pots or seedling containers that your plants came in. These are great for starting your own plants at home.

Author Bio:

Tender Care Lawn Service is one of the leading landscaping companies that provides grass cutting and landscape maintenance services across the country.  Also get fertilization, weed control, shrub Trimming, and other lawn care services.  Get a free estimate today!

Choosing the right company for your landscape maintenance services and grass cutting services

Look through the phonebook or search online and you’ll find a slew of landscaping companies that offer landscape maintenance services and grass cutting services.  But how do you know which one you should choose?
We’ve heard stories about how customers have to go through one or more not so pleasant experiences before finding a landscape maintenance services team that they love.  Even if you’re simply looking for grass cutting services, there’s no reason to feel the pain of a poorly done job or a hole in the pocket.

So how do you choose the right landscape maintenance services or grass cutting services team?

It’s actually not that difficult at all.  As a company that’s been in business for a long time, we can provide some pointers on how to get through the selection process.
Here are some things you can ask –
1.Do you have a horticulture license?
This confirms that you’re dealing with a landscape maintenance services team that is licensed to be doing the job and also strives to continually learn about their craft and can assure that they are skilled enough for grass cutting services and other landscape maintenance services.
2.How much experience do you have with lighting and water usage?
When creating a gardenscape, it’s important to know how best to use natural and artificial lighting to enhance the look of your garden and give your plants the nutrients they need.  It’s also crucial to determine how to set up the irrigation for your garden to avoid over and under watering as well as water pooling.
3.Which low maintenance plants would you recommend?
Your landscape maintenance services team should be familiar with the plants that you want and have in your garden.  They should provide guidance on the maintenance needs of the plants as well as their individual needs for optimal growth.  The maintenance requirements of each plant should be discussed before integrating it into your garden.
4.What weed prevention techniques should we use?
Grass cutting services don’t end at cutting, trimming, and mulching.  They also require analysis of the yard to ensure that weeds are properly prevented and managed to ensure that they don’t spread while cutting and mulching takes place.
5.What is your process?
Whether you’re simply using their grass cutting services or have bigger landscaping needs, the landscape maintenance services team should explain how their process works.  Feel free to ask questions and determine how thoroughly and patiently these are answered.  It’s imperative that they take the time to educate you on how they work since you’re looking for a team for the long haul.
6.Tell me about the skills and experience of the person(s) that will work on my job.
It’s a good idea to find out who will be working on your project and what skillsets and experience they have with similar jobs.  If yours is an ongoing job, will there be a new individual that comes out each time or will there be a consistent person that takes the time to find out your individual likes and dislikes and takes care of your personalized needs?
7.Can you give us some references?
Find out who the team works for and what type of work they do.  Feel free to drive over and have a look at the yard and get a feel for their work.  Sometimes, the reverse can also be helpful, so if you see a well-manicured, healthy, and beautiful garden, stop in and ask the folks who takes care of their yard.
At Tender Care Lawn Services, we take the time to build a relationship of trust with our customers.  Call our landscape maintenance services team on 337-313-3002 for any of your lawn or landscape needs including grass cutting services, irrigation and drainage needs, staining and protection of your wooden structures and fences, and more.

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.

Landscape maintenance services – Advice on staining your wood

Landscaping Companies know that a well maintained lawn plays a big part in adding value to your home. However, our landscape maintenance services team knows that a lawn can go beyond the grass, trees, and plants. Any additional features such as a fence, pergola, deck, patio, and more, can also add beauty and value to a garden.

Simply having these structures isn’t enough. It’s important to maintain them just like you would your living garden to ensure that they stand up well to the tests of time and nature.

Landscape maintenance services go beyond lawn care services

Most of our customers come to us for our impeccable lawn care services. They know that they can count on our expertise and experience to ensure that their yard stays healthy and well maintained. Over the years, our customers have asked us for advice and guidance on preserving their fences, decks, patios, and even patio furniture. This has given us a ton of experience that goes beyond plants, grass, trees, and drainage. Our landscape maintenance services team is now skilled at staining many wooden structures from fences to building exteriors. Our team, including our project manager Travis, can visit your home or commercial site and discuss your landscaping and staining needs and give you a quote.

Landscaping companies can guide you on your staining project

Before undertaking any staining endeavor, it’s important to know why you’re doing it and how to go about it. Many landscaping companies may not provide this service but can give you general guidance or refer you to a company that will do the job. Our landscape maintenance services team has extensive experience that can help with your staining and preservation tasks. There are some things you should think about before a staining project is commenced.

1. Why bother staining – Staining adds a layer of protection for your wood. Think of it as a shield against the sun, rain, cold, and even infestation. The advantages of staining your structure are aplenty, so one could actually argue “Why not stain?”
2. The wood and the structure – Before you put brush to stain, it’s important to keep in mind the wood and structure you’re about to stain. What type of wood is it, are there many imperfections, what is the exposure of the structure to the elements, do you want the natural beauty of the wood to come through, these are just a few things to think through before getting started.
3. Stain vs. paint – This is more of a choice as some folks prefer to have an even color, whereas others want the beauty of the wood to come through. Both stain and exterior paint can seal the wood, however stain penetrates the wood completely whereas paint usually just covers the surface and has limited penetration into the wood.
4. Which stain to use – There are a dizzying number of options out there. Clear vs. color, oil vs. water based, feature upon feature, what should you choose? That’s where experience comes in. Our landscape maintenance services team knows what affects the wood in Louisiana and can guide you using your requirements and our experience combined.
5. What’s the long term plan – Over time, the effectiveness of the stain decreases. Different wood, surfaces, and stain grades have different durability. It’s best to check your surfaces periodically for signs of wear and wood decay.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the many options available to you or confused as to how to go about selecting a stain. Give our landscape maintenance services team a call, and we’re happy to guide you and even give you a free quote on your project.

Call our landscape maintenance services team on 337-313-3002 for any of your lawn or landscape needs including staining and protection of your wooden structures and fences.

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Learn all about weeds from our landscape maintenance services team

Landscaping companies and landscape maintenance services experts know that the battle with weeds can seem never ending.  But armed with a little bit of knowledge, you can take a proactive approach and gain an upper hand. In case you have a pre-existing weed infestation, landscaping companies can help get this under control while educating you on how to manage your yard in the future.  Our landscape maintenance services team have years of experience and tremendous success in eradicating even the peskiest of weeds.

What’s that weed?

A weed is any type of plant that is undesirable or unwelcome in your yard.  There are a few common weeds that we see in most yards that are infested, including:

1. Virginia Buttonweed
2. Geranium
3. Crabgrass
4. Dollarweed
5. Spurge
6. Clover
7. Kyllinga
8. NutSedge

Before you rush out to buy weed killer, it’s important to correctly identify the weed or weeds that you’re dealing with to ensure that the product you choose does in fact eradicate the problem.  Since weeds can blend in with grass, our landscape maintenance services team visits and walks your yard to determine how many and which weeds are present.  With the help of our extensive experience and our reference guides, we can accurately identify them, and also implement the right solution to exterminate them.

Landscape maintenance services for weed control

There are many off-the-shelf products that you can purchase for weed control.  Although spot control is widely suggested, landscaping companies recommend applying weed control products across your yard to maximise protection to avoid the possibility of weeds spreading and eliminate any weed infested areas that you may not have identified initially.

Scotts, Weed-and-Feed, MSM Turf, 2,4 -D, or others can be effective on some of these weeds such as Geranium, Crabgrass, Dollarweed, Spurge, Clover, however others like Virginia Buttonweed, Kyllinga, and Nutsedge may need professional intervention.  It’s important to confirm that any product you apply in your yard will in fact eliminate all the different weeds that you are plagued by.  As always, when in doubt, call our landscape maintenance services team.  Our thorough 6-step annual maintenance program eliminates all these weeds successfully.  Also timing is important.  Just because you see a weed or two pop up, doesn’t mean that it’s the right time to treat the problem.  Putting out weed control too early in the season could result in other unforeseen problems in your yard.

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.

Commercial landscaping goes beyond grass cutting services

Commercial landscaping involves more than grass cutting services provided by landscaping companies. Landscaping includes beautification of a generally high-traffic area while keeping the space functional and practical.

Landscaping companies can help get you started or take on your maintenance needs.  Whether yours is an upcoming or pre-existing commercial property, Tender Care Lawn Service can work with your commercial landscaping plan or help you come up with one.

Identifying your landscaping needs

On pre-existing commercial properties, our commercial landscaping specialists will discuss your plans for landscape modifications, improvements, infrastructure, watering, and drainage.  Whether you’re installing a new driveway, flower beds, water features, or privacy lines, it’s important to consider what’s in place already and how to ensure that your modifications complement the practical use aspect of the space.

Upcoming commercial properties can be planned and designed in tandem with the building plans.  This enables us to plan the ground level infrastructure after surveying the land and make appropriate recommendations based on your needs.

Procure your lawn care supplies using landscaping companies

Landscaping companies know what types of plants and grass will work well for your space.  Whether you need grass that will stand up to heavy foot traffic, or plants that are low maintenance or shady trees for a school yard, they have the experience to make great recommendations.

Tender Care’s lawn care services team also knows where to go to get you the best deals on lawn care supplies, trees, plants, paving stones, water features and more.  With our network of providers, you can rest assured that you’ll get a great deal on any improvements and upgrades you’re looking to make.

Planning grass cutting services and other long term maintenance

Even before your commercial landscaping is complete, our lawn care services team will have a schedule in mind for maintenance and grass cutting services.  Regular maintenance includes sprinkler maintenance, spraying for turf pests, tree and shrub trimming, plant replacement, plant nourishment, trimming and grass cutting services, and more.

Our lawn care specialists can also customize annual maintenance packages based on your needs and our evaluation of your commercial property.
Tender Care Lawn Services is happy to help with your residential and commercial landscaping needs.  We’re now also a part of the Home Builders Association of Southwest Louisiana.

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

Landscaping companies suggest sprucing up the yard for summer

Summer’s finally here.  It’s time for fun in the sun, slip and slides, and bbq’s.  But wait just a minute….is your yard the setting for all these fun filled events?  If so, it may be time for a spruce up.  Landscaping companies like Tender Care Lawn Service can provide guidance and assistance in all your spruce up endeavors.
Look a good look around and see if there are any spots in your garden or yard that just look sad and bare, or have been taken over by a shrub or tree, or have simply been neglected.  There’s a lot of amazing things you can do to make your garden the scene of beauty and serenity or even a fun gathering space for your family and friends.

Landscaping companies suggest starting with a plan

A spruce up needs a plan.  Getting excited and going gung-ho without a plan can sometimes yield amazing results, but ofttimes just results in confusion and a fast demise of the project.  That’s where our lawn care services team comes in.  We’re your sounding board, consultant, and do-er, all in one.  We evaluate your yard, discuss your ideas and plans for your space and it’s use, give you guidance and technical inputs, and once the concept has been visualized, we implement.  All you do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the result.

Look to experts or landscaping companies for a design

Whether you have a small garden, need just a corner spruced up, a shrub trimmed back, a flower bed or veggie garden put in, or even your swimming space beautified, we’re here to help.  With the variety of projects that we’ve done, our lawn care services team’s skills and expertise will help your vision materialize.
There are plenty of good sources for ideas when it comes to designing your garden such as Pinterest, HGTV, and Better Homes and Gardens.  Although these can sometimes be overwhelming kinda like a restaurant menu with too many delicious food options, they’re a good place to get some tips and ideas once you know how you want to use your space and how extensively you want to change your yard.
A few key factors to keep in mind when planning your spruce up are:

1. What you’re going to do with your space – Get together as a family and have everyone provide inputs on how they plan to use the garden and space.  This will ensure that everyone feels involved and appreciates the end result collectively.
2. How quickly do you want it to be ready – If your garden needs to be ready for an upcoming event, let us know.  Accordingly, we can guide you on scaling back or scaling up your plans depending on your timeline.
3. What’s your budget – Just because you have a small budget doesn’t mean that you’re looking at miniscule changes.  Together we can come up with creative ideas that work within a small budget and create a space you’ll love.
4. What’s your maintenance plan – Don’t jump into a design or idea that turns out to be overwhelming in the future.  Keep your schedule and commitments in mind and know where to draw the line.  Biting off more than you’re willing to chew can come back to haunt you.
5. Does your plan work well with the climate, soil, and plants – Sure those pictures of exotic plants looked heavenly on Pinterest, but do they really work well in your climate, soil, and amidst your plant family?  Being practical and doing your homework up front can save you pain and heartache later on.

Check out our spruce up photos so you can see for yourself what we can do for you.  Our design team can come over to your home, office, or residential construction site and consult with you.

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.