10 Tips to Care for a Florida Landscape

Lawns can come in various types, forms, shapes and sizes. Each lawn has a style and character of its own.

There are lawns that boast of verdant gardens. They can be considered as great works of art and perfect as setting in the Florida environment.

There are some that resemble the old farm style. They are covered with grass and garden of weeds. The greens can be very relaxing and comforting.

Many other lawns can be seen out there that are groomed almost flawlessly. However, no matter what type it is, the most important matter to a landscape owner is to know how exactly to achieve it and enjoy it.

10 Tips to Maintain and Care for the Lawn

Whether in Florida or in any other state, all it takes to keep the lawn beautiful is to maintain and care for it. Here are 10 tips to take into account:

1. Come Up with a Plan

Lawn owners should come up first with a plan. Identify what should be achieved by the project. A professional should help you with this unless you have experience with it.

Ideally, any plan should be written down. This shall be your guide as you consider the options and endure the various obstacles in your sod endeavors.

Once the plan is laid down, you can easily decide on the other aspects of lawn maintenance. You will know the choices to make to care for your type of lawn.

2. Choose the Plants and Flowers

Plants and flowers should be chosen well. Pick one that will suit best the character you want your landscape to have; or have a professional  plant your landscape plan for you.

It all depends on your type of landscape and personality. Bushy plants are ideal for those who want some coverage. Colorful flowers are best for people who like to keep it bright.

Be wary also of some plants that may damage your endeavors. Caring for the lawn requires certain caution from plants that can damage the soil or choke other shrubbery.

Dandelions and black medics or the yellow clovers may look good to the eye but their presence can actually affect the alkaline of your soil and even result to deprivation of other plants.

3. Grass It Up

Before planting any grass on your ground, research first on the best one available for your location. St. Augustine, Centipede, Zoysia, Bermuda, and Bahia are all grasses that grow well in North Florida lawns.

4. Aerate the Lawn

Aerating the lawn is a must to give a way for fresh air to the small life forms and the microbes under the soil. It also gives water a new course to take, preventing saturation.

Aeration is best done during springtime when the soil is still moisturized and the rains are not yet over.

5. Have the Right Chemistry

To achieve the perfect chemistry for the lawn, people sometimes have to add lime or iron to the soil. Grass ordinarily prefers acidic soil. Lime is perfect to bring down the acidity. Sulfur on the other hand will help increase it.

Seek a professional or an experienced gardener to test the acidity of the soil to know the proper option to take.

6. Use Fertilizer

Grass is one plant that utilizes much nitrogen. Make the soil rich in nutrient. Chemicals are out there but this can disturb the ecosystem of your lawn. Compost is a good way to enrich the soil.

7. Watering the Lawn

Regularly water the lawn to keep the shrubbery healthy. Invest on a watering system. You can choose from a sprinkler system or toting a hose and sprinklers around the yard 3 times per week. Contact us about a free estimate for a watering system.

8. Mowing the Lawn

Determine the proper schedule to mow your lawn. It depends on how fast and how thick your greenery grows.

Mowing will help you get rid of old part of the grass. It also encourages a deeper root system for a healthier soil environment.

9. Simply TLC

Of course, never forget to give the tender and loving care to your lawn. With this in mind, you can never go wrong.

10. Enjoy and Be Amazed

A lush and beautiful lawn is the first thing that any neighbor, visitor or a mere passerby will notice in the household. This alone shall speak of the industry and dedication of the owner to the welfare of his or her home.

Thus, the presentation of the lawn is crucial, especially for people living in neighborhoods like in Florida where households and residents speak of beauty and good life.

Lee Dobbins writes for www.backyard-garden-and-patio.com where you can learn more about landscaping and gardening.

5 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CURB APPEAL

Want to improve your curb appeal? We have put together a list of 5 quick ways to improve your curb appeal. You can do these things yourself or request an estimate and we can help you with them.

1. Landscape Clean-Up

This is often one of the least expensive yet most significant things you can do to improve the look of your home. Simply picking up the front yard, putting away unused items (such as lawn furniture) and pressure cleaning the driveway can make a world of difference. 

2. Add Color

Free standing flowering plants are the fastest way to add color and texture to your landscaping. Choose flower type based on your sunlight, shade and water restrictions. Container Gardens add a welcoming feel and colorful appeal quickly and affordably. You can buy ready-made containers from garden centers or create your own with your favorite plants. Window Boxes are another way to bring color and charm to your home exterior. Choose boxes made from copper or iron for a traditional look, or painted wood for a cottage feel. Mix and match flowers and plants to suit your lighting conditions and color scheme.

3. Landscape Shaded Areas

Many people tend to leave shaded areas bare and boring. Take your landscape to all new levels by putting shade-tolerant plants in the areas under trees where other plants won't grow. This will leave your lawn looking full and appealing.

4. Add New Mulch to Your Beds

Get landscape beds into shape by pruning growth, pulling weeds, and adding new mulch to restore color that was taken away by sunlight and harsh weather. Mulch holds in moisture and prevents weed growth, and makes beds easier to maintain. There are different looks that come with mulch. Wood mulch comes in different sizes and types of wood, it also comes dyed for a eye popping look.

5. Raise Tree Canopies

The tree canopy, if too low, can block sun from getting to your lawn grass and cause it to decline.It also can block the veiw of the home and make it look uncared for. By removing the lower branches, you can raise the canopy of your tree. Just follow a left – to-center, and center-to-right arc. Raising your tree canopy will allow more sun to get to your grass, you can walk under it without getting hit in the head and the tree will look much better from the street.

Automatic Irrigation & the Benefits in Florida

Introduction to Irrigation There are many benefits related to the installation of an irrigation system in your residential or commercial landscape. Over the last 20 years or so we have seen an increase of awareness in the importance of conserving water, for many a state across America has seen the effects of drought; but especially in Florida.

By installing an automatic irrigation system that best suits your needs, you will be saving time and money. When you water by hand more than 50 per cent of the water is wasted in runoff and evaporation. Automatic irrigation systems can be programmed to run at night when the evaporation is low, and in times of water restrictions.

Individuals who install irrigation systems will benefits greatly, but the environment will also benefit. This is so important that everyone play their part in the conservation of this precious resource.


BENEFITS OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
We will now discuss some of the benefits associated with the installation of an automatic irrigation system for your landscape and the environment.


Saves Time
An automatic irrigation system will save you plenty of time that you in the past would have spent watering your lawns, gardens and flowers. You can now have your timers set, so that watering will take place at the times that best suits your landscape and the climate where you live. You can go on that holiday knowing that your lawns and flowers will be maintained and flourishing when you return.

Saves Money With an automatic irrigation system there is no money or water wasted, for everything is timed, programmed and these systems all have rain sensors, so every drop of water is used only when it is needed.

Saves Water

Whatever type of irrigation system you install, there will definitely be a greater saving on water. You can help conserve water with automatic systems, for there is no wasting of water, every drop is used not wasted away. You can save between 30 and 50 percent of the water that you would normally use with other more conventional watering methods.

Improves Growth When plants, crops, lawns or flowers are watered with smaller amounts of water over a longer period of time, they grow faster, for it is the ideal condition for growth. You will enjoy greener and more luscious gardens and lawns.

Weed Reduction
You will notice a reduction in the amount of weeds appearing, this is due to the fact that those areas that need water are the only areas receiving water, with the implementation of a specifically designed irrigation system.


With all of those benefits, you can't go wrong! Call (352) 481-5296 for a free proposal today on your own automatic irrigation system for your landscape!

Can Fertilizer Cause Rust Stains on Concrete?

Can fertilizer leave rust stains on concrete sidewalks and driveways?

Yes. Often times before the fertilizer can be swept off the concrete, either rain or water from a sprinkler system hits the fertilizer and turns the iron in the fertilizer to iron oxide, commonly known as rust.

This is one of the most stubborn rust problems that you can find. Many people will try muriatic acid or other harmful chemicals that are not only dangerous to your health, but also dangerous to the environment and can even damage cement.

Fortunately there is an alternative, Concrete Rust Remover. The product is safe to use, biodegradable and the most effective product we know of in removing rust from concrete. Please let us know if you're in need of our pressure cleaning service to use this product on your sidewalk or driveway.

The Importance of Landscaping in Home Buying

The right landscaping is a critical factor when it comes to home sales, for both the buyer and the seller. For the seller of the home, enhancing the landscaping can lead to a faster sale, and even to a higher selling price. For the buyer, the right landscaping can serve as an assurance that the home is worth the price being asked, and it can help to ensure that the home will retain its value as long as the landscape is maintained in its current condition.

On the other hand, many price conscious buyers and those seeking investment properties will specifically look for those homes whose landscaping is not up to neighborhood standards. The nature of the landscaping can reveal a great deal about the home and its current occupants, and those investors who are able to apply a critical eye to the landscape may be able to land some real bargains.
When it comes to looking critically at the landscape, however, it is important to keep in mind that every buyer and seller will have a different vision of what constitutes the perfect landscape. For some the perfect landscape may be a hillside covered with wildflowers and native species of plants. For others a meticulously groomed and manicured formal garden represents the epitome of class and style. Still others may prefer to incorporate water elements, such as ponds, waterfalls and fountains, into their dream landscape.

It is important, therefore, to distinguish between a neglected landscape and one that simply does not represent your tastes. While a landscape overgrown with weeds can indicate a sloppy homeowner, and perhaps other problems lurking inside the home, On the other hand, a well kept landscape that is, to your eye, in bad taste, may simply mean that the home and its interior is not in your style. This kind of problem is easy to fix, so be sure to consider the nature of the problem as you shop for the perfect home.

Of course you may be lucky enough to find the perfect home with the perfect landscape already in place. While this is not an everyday occurrence, it certainly does happen, and in fact it is the landscaping that leads many home buyers to the home of their dreams.

If, on the other hand, the home is perfect but the landscaping is not, it is important to visualize your dream landscape as you would like it to be. The first step is to sketch out the elements of the landscape as they are now, and then to mark down the changes you would like to make. If you need to remove trees, bushes or other permanent elements of the landscape, be sure to note that as you go. Having a visual representation of the perfect landscape will make it much easier as the landscape redesign goes forward.

As you visualize your perfect landscape, be sure to remember the importance of a good view. It is not enough for the landscape to be attractive to passing motorists and pedestrians; it is essential that the landscape provide you and your family with a pleasant view of the outside world. Considering how the landscape looks, from both inside and outside the home, will help you visualize, and create, the landscape of your dreams.

Annuals can Create a Huge Impact on your Home

Planting Annual flower beds, or "Seasonal Color," can create a huge impact on the visual aspect of your home. Commercial properties have done this for years to create a sense of being at home for their customers and to attract customers to their properties. Try color bowls or large container plantings near the entry of your home; or just fill the corner of a highly visible bed with annuals. Your friends and family will be very impressed with your landscape and home.


Can you see how the red Begonias stand out under the palm trees? That is just one example of how much of an impact seasonal color can make on your landscape; which is the first impression of your home. 

And as the old adage says, "The first impression is the most important!"

Landscaping: Pro vs. Joe

Going to the grocery store without a list – especially if you're hungry – is inadvisable, according to both financial and nutritional experts. You can end up with a mishmash of ingredients that look good but don't go together, returning home over budget and without a proper meal. 

The same can be true when you're hungry for a great landscape. The journey from blank slate of a yard to lush personal oasis can be fraught with as much danger as a trip down the potato chip and pop aisle. 

JOE - DIY (Do It Yourself) MEANS PATIENCE

Some homeowners opt to do it themselves. These dedicated DIYers must be prepared to have plenty of patience and be willing to learn along the way, while suffering the occasional failure, if they start without a plan. 

One of these daring folks is Julie Comfort, an avid DIY gardener and gardening guru to her friends. This green thumber started out with no skills, little plant knowledge, and definitely no plan 29 years ago, when her young family purchased their first home. 

"We bought a house with a yard that was yuck," she said with a laugh. 

Wishing to make this a place where she could entertain and where her young children could play, Comfort set out to learn all she could, devouring gardening magazines and consuming books recommended in their reading lists. 

With her children grown, she moved out of that home 25 years later. Its front yard was a grass-free homage to colour and the backyard a lush landscape surrounded by large trees, featuring a small pond. 

"If you don't know a lot about plants, then read, read, read. You also must have patience because it's all trial and error," said Comfort. She estimates that she lost one in four plants over the years. "Walk your garden regularly to see what's struggling and what's thriving. That tells you a lot about your choices." 


PRO - SAVING TIME AND MONEY

Howard and Marie* did just the opposite. After living in their home for five years, it was time to redo the deck and spruce up the backyard. 

"For any type of renovation, we would hire a professional. We just don't have those kinds of skills," said Howard. 

From the three quotes they received, the couple chose Grant Harrison and his company Escapes Outdoor Living Designs. A professionally rendered plan is one of the benefits of dealing with a professional. The homeowners worked with Harrison and his landscape designer Michelle Schinkel to come up with a design that worked. "We had an idea of what we wanted and he came back with a plan. We massaged it and came up with one we loved," Howard says. 

According to Howard, Harrison and his crew were able to make recommendations and offer ideas that the couple wouldn't have thought of on their own. For instance, there was an existing cedar shed that the couple was concerned about matching. Harrison's research revealed that using a special type of stained pressure-treated wood would answer all of their concerns: colour matching and colour retention (natural cedar goes grey with age), as well as durability. 

Privacy and soundproofing were also an issue, as the couple was looking for a more secluded environment after a neighbour installed a pool. 

"Grant came up with the idea of planting cedars," said Howard. Placed along part of the side and rear fences, these trees will grow into a hedge that ensures privacy and offers some sound buffering. Schinkel designed planting beds that would work under the shade of the existing trees and the cedars, and others that could deal with the almost full-sun areas surrounding the deck. Harrison and Schinkel included extra seating in the plans for the deck by adding bench seats along the rails. 


"We would have never thought of that, but it makes it much more usable," Howard enthuses. 

This is in stark contrast to the experience that some homeowners have had when they've discovered that the landscape they wanted doesn't really work. Mike Pascoe, with Kernow Gardens, has been called in to rescue yards gone wrong – those that started without a plan and ended in the wrong place. "They've futzed around with it for a long time and I've had to go in and cut it down anyway. Sometimes there are 30-year-old trees that are just wrong for the landscape." 

Pascoe estimated that homeowners should spend 10% of the house's value on landscaping their outdoor spaces for maximum resale value. This cost will be recouped when selling your home. 

"A lot of people balk at hiring a professional, but I can almost guarantee that you'll save money because you'll avoid a lot of foolish mistakes," said Pascoe.

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