Rock gardens are becoming very popular and common according to lawn care experts because they are perfect places for plants that can be exposed to long periods of sunlight without becoming dehydrated. Some homeowners use the areas of their lawn that have dry soil to plant more drought-tolerant plants so the area will have a unique appearance instead of looking bland or barren.  Although some of these plants may not be the prettiest, lawn care specialists say they offer a great deal of aesthetic appeal, especially against the rock garden. If you’re looking for something different, ask your lawn care company about installing these rock garden favorites this season (and as an added plus, they’re all known for repelling deer).

Lamb’s Ears

Landscapers admit these flowery plants are easy on the eyes and very touchable. They produce a light purple flower on tall spikes and have silverish foliage that feels much like velvet.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Lawn care experts say if you’re looking for a plant that will not only keep deer away but other animals as well, the prickly pear cactus offers the same benefits of having a protective barbed-wire fence without actually having one, except it’s much prettier. This plant is largely found in the eastern United States and produces beautiful yellow flowers. The plant itself grows to be six to 14 inches in height.

Hens and Chicks

This oddly named plant is another popular deer repellant, and is a delight in the home garden. It acts more as a groundcover than a decorative plant, but does produce a small amount of flowers and typically appears in small, subtle mounds.

Stonecrops

Lawn care professionals say deer do not seem to not have an appetite for this plant. Producing yellow, orange, red or pink flowers, stonecrops stand as a favorite in the stone garden community, possibly because it offers contrasting colors in the flowers and leaves, which can appear bluish-green, off-white, greenish-yellow or reddish-pink. If you’re looking for a plant that is more ornamental with a variety of colors to enhance your landscape, stronecrops is the way to go.

Have you planted several trees on your landscape that just aren’t growing at the rate you expected? There are a few lawn care tricks you can perform to help your trees’ growth rapidly increase.

Have you ever heard that cutting your hair regularly makes it grow faster? This is true because cutting your hair stimulates your roots to produce more hair that is healthier. This concept holds true for trees as well. Trimming and pruning will keep your tree stimulated, thus causing it to grow faster than if you didn’t provide these services at all. This type of lawn care also keeps your tree healthy and improves its immunity to disease and insect problems, which can also hinder growth. Pruning should start very early on in order to grow a tree that has longevity and an ideal shape.

Another way to ensure optimal tree growth is adequate watering. Lawn care experts recommend that the soil be irrigated with water applications that are slow and deep, as well as regulated for consistency. However, take care not to overwater the tree, which can be just as detrimental as not watering it enough. Lawn care professionals recommend using watering bags that slowly release water over a period of four to six hours. If you really want to get the most out of your watering treatments, consider adding mulch, which will help the soil retain the moisture better and protect the underlying roots from extreme temperatures. Mulch also combats weed production, which will allow the roots to grow without competing with powerful weeds.

For optimal care, consult your local lawn care company and leave the well-being of your tree in the hands of certified experts.

Many people are turning to LED lighting these days to save money and to be environmentally conscious. Little may they know that this same conservation can take place outside the home as well. If you’re looking to add landscape lighting to your property, lawn care experts say LED lighting is a great option.

LED lawn care lighting can provide the same function as regular outdoor lighting, but at a reduced cost, according to lawn care professionals. LED lighting companies claim that using these types of lights will save you 90 percent on your electric bill, and are easier on your wallet in the long run. Even though LED lights cost more than typical outdoor lights, they last much longer than other bulbs, which means you’ll have to replace them less often, some lasting 15 to 20 years.

Because LED lights are low voltage, lawn care agents say the risk of shock is lower than common light bulbs. LED lights also do not become as heated as other types of outdoor lighting, which means fingers, pets, plants, etc. won’t be burned by the heat.

The best reason to go with LED landscape lighting is the most advantageous to the environment. Lawn care authorities say LED lights have a lower carbon emission rate. Though this might not make a huge difference in our own time, future generations will benefit from the decisions we make today.

Many homeowners confuse black medic with white clover because of its three leaflet clover-like leaves that make them appear very similar. Lawn care professionals say you are likely to see this weed in your lawn in the months between May and September. Unlike other weeds that stick out like a sore thumb, black medic is low-growing and generates bunches of tiny, vividly yellow flowers that are noticeable in the late spring and early summer. Lawn care technicians say their stems are slightly hairy and they grow in dry soil that is high in phosphorous.

Another irritating weed that homeowners are likely to spot in the early spring and be hounded by until September without professional lawn care intervention is the broadleaf plantain. This weed is grayish-green in color and begins its lifecycle in mid-spring. The egg-shaped weed has wavy-edged leaves that grown near to the ground. In the early summer, lawn care experts say the seed stalks will begin to rise and will last through early fall. Unfortunately for a lawn care professional without the right expertise and weed control program, broadleaf plantains can overtake desirable lawn grasses by suffocating them. They key to eliminating this bothersome weed is to eliminate the seeds; lawn care agents say this plant grows from seeds and re-sprouting roots.

Curly dock is another incessant weed that pops up in lawns. This weed has lance-shaped leaves which turn a reddish purple color in the summer and fall. A narrow spike emerges from the center of the plant where small greenish flowers occur. Lawn care technicians say you are more likely to see this weed during bouts of hot, dry weather. As the grass suffers, curly dock thrives.

Don’t let weeds be a drain on your lawn; contact your local lawn care authority for a rigid and effective weed control program.

There are steps you can take to protect your trees and the roots below from damage during construction on your property, however, plans aren’t always followed and mistakes are made. So what do you do to provide care to your damaged trees?

If your tree has experienced damage to its exterior, the first place to start is with the bark. Any tree bark that has been damaged should be shaved away to encourage healing. Lawn care experts recommend using a sharp knife to trim around the wounded area in a rounded motion, not cutting any deeper than is necessary to avoid cutting into healthy bark. Removing the damaged bark will promote moisture and nutrients into and around the bruised area. Just like a wound on human flesh, the tree will have a scar, but if the bark is properly cared for, the tree should heal around the wound.

If a large section of the tree has been damaged, for instance more than half of the tree’s circumference, you may want to consult your local lawn care company to save it from dying. Trees will not immediately exhibit symptoms of damage, but without proper nutrients and moisture getting to all the parts of the tree, branches will become brittle and break off, leaves will fade and eventually the tree will stop growing at all. Your tree company can stop the dying process of the tree through intensive lawn care that involves corrective pruning, fertilization and curative irrigation.

If your tree has become damaged during the construction process, call your local lawn care company as soon as possible to save this vital feature of your landscape.

So you’ve finally decided this is the season you will add an outdoor living space that will give you a place to escape to and take in the sounds, smells and sights of your gorgeous landscape, as well as provide a comfortable and convenient area to entertain great friends and family. Lawn care experts suggest adding a hexagonal gazebo might just be the perfect avenue to that destination!

Hexagonal gazebos are traditional in appearance, but add a style and sophistication to your landscape. And although you may choose a design and materials that exude luxury, lawn care specialists say hexagonal gazebos are quite affordable. Furthermore, your property value will increase with this beautiful addition!

Hexagonal gazebos do not have to be one-size-fits-all in style. Lawn care professionals say there are several different options, including whether or not to add benches inside the gazebo and different types of railings. When it comes to topping your hexagonal gazebo, you can choose from a canopy top, an ornamental cupola or more traditional roofing shingles, perhaps to match the roof of your home.

Hexagonal gazebos typically come in 8 foot and 10 foot sizes. Lawn care pros suggest a great way to accentuate your landscape gazebo is by adding garden lights and seasonal plantings around the gazebo itself. The plants and flowers will give you something beautiful to gaze upon as you relax the day away in your landscape and the garden lights will allow you to enjoy this outdoor living space even on cool, summer nights.

Contact your local lawn care company today to find out more about adding a hexagonal gazebo to your landscape this season!

Choosing the right kind of fertilizer and making sure your lawn is fertilized at the right times and at the correct rate is paramount to a healthy, green lawn that is resistant to disease, insect infestations and fungus. Most lawn care professionals recommend nitrogen fertilizer for St. Augustine lawns to acquire a rich, green color and a steady rate of growth.

Lawn care experts recommend one pound of high-quality nitrogen fertilizer for every 1,000 square feet. This amount should be applied each month during the active growing season for optimal results. This rate of fertilization will guarantee the desired thickness and color that makes St. Augustine a preferable turf grass. If the applied fertilizer exceeds this amount, the growth may be lush, but the lawn is also more prone to insect infestations and disease. Additionally, thatch becomes a problem if the nitrogen is too high, blocking vital nutrients, air and moisture from reaching the roots of the lawn.

Fall fertilization serves to help St. Augustine grass preserve its existing thickness and color throughout the winter months and also encourage quick spring green-up. Your lawn care provider should administer one pound of high-quality nitrogen every 30 to 60 days.

One drawback of St. Augustine grass is its sensitivity to iron deficiency; however, this can be easily corrected with foliar applications or iron sulfate treatments. Potassium applications are also utilized in St. Augustine grass to encourage root growth, tolerance to cooler or cold weather and the ability to withstand periods of drought.

If you want the best for your St. Augustine lawn, call your local lawn care service and ask about their fertilization program.

Every lawn is susceptible to insect infestations, including St. Augustine lawns. The biggest threat to the quality of a St. Augustine turf is the chinch bug, which is active through most of the year. Chinch bugs are much like grubs – another threat to St. Augustine lawns – because they feed on the grass roots, depleting the lawn of water and vital nutrients. However, unlike grubs, chinch bugs simultaneously poison the grass by injecting a toxin into the sheath of the grass blade.

Chinch bugs are particularly threatening to St. Augustine lawns because there can be as many as several hundred per each square foot. The results of chinch bug feeding mirrors the effects of drought stress. Grass will become discolored or brown and may even eventually die if the feeding is severe.

In order to stop or prevent chinch bug damage, your lawn care provider will need to devise a schedule for insecticide treatments. Some affected areas may only require one or two applications, while others, particularly in some areas of Florida, will need at least five or six treatments.

Grubs, the offspring of Japanese beetles, are commonly found in most lawns, but are a serious threat to St. Augustine lawns in particular. Their feeding results in the same type of damage that occurs when chinch bugs attack. The problem with grub infestations is that the damage may not be visibly noticeable until the following year. In order to effectively rid your St. Augustine lawn of these harmful insects, your lawn care company will need to use high-quality insecticides and drench the lawn.

Other insect threats include sod webworms, cutworms and army worms. Their feeding has a different effect on St. Augustine grass, often resulting in a “skeletonized” leaf blade. Ground pearls are another pest that feed on the root of the turf and ooze a wax-like shell around their bodies that look a lot like a pearl.

If you notice discoloration in your St. Augustine lawn, you need to call your lawn care provider immediately before the insects have an opportunity to completely destroy your lawn.

There are several different varieties of mulch to choose from, but many homeowners and commercial property owners seem to prefer cedar mulch. Cedar mulch offers the landscape a hint of rich color, and of course there is the aromatic cedar smell that adds an extra incentive. Cedar mulch also offers landscape beds superior protection against soil erosion and compaction, weed growth and protects the roots of your plants from the hot sun. If you think cedar mulch is only useful when the weather is warm, you’ll be happy to know that mulch also protects the roots from freezing during spells of cold weather. So now that you know all the benefits of cedar mulch, you may wonder how you can make your own.

In order to make your own cedar mulch, according to lawn care experts, you will need cured cedar wood in the form of a stump or logs, a chainsaw, a hatchet and a hammer. Using the chainsaw, cut the cedar stump or the logs into two-inch sections, stacking the pieces atop one another. Once you have a complete stack, use the chainsaw to cut vertically down the stack again in one- to two-inch sections. Gather the stack back together and proceed to perform another vertical cut, this time forming a crosshatch pattern. All of the resulting wood shavings and pieces will serve as part of your mulch.

You will still have some smaller pieces that need to be broken up into tinier pieces. Use your hammer and hatchet to bust them up in whatever sizes you prefer. Place all the wood in a large container and add an amount of water that is proportionate to the wood chips. Lawn care professionals say for this project, a gallon of water is usually plenty. Make sure all the wood chips have been dampened by the water and let sit for three days. Drain the water from the container and let the cedar mulch dry in the sun for a day, turning it occasionally to make sure the undersides of the wood chips have a chance to dry out as well. Once all the pieces have dried, you have your very own source of cedar mulch to adorn your lawn!

Making your own cedar mulch may be a fun activity, but perhaps you’re looking for a more professional approach. Call your local lawn care company and ask about their mulching services.

Ever wonder what to do with those scraps of food that shouldn’t go down the disposal, but create a terrible smell if left in the garbage for more than a day? Or perhaps you’re looking to enhance the growth of your landscape plants in a more natural and cost-effective manner? Lawn care experts recommend using your kitchen waste to make your own all-organic mulch.

The first step in this journey toward a more eco-friendly way to fertilize your lawn and landscape is by choosing the right type of composter. Many lawn care experts recommend using worm bins. Filling the bin with live worms, your kitchen waste will be broken down by the worms and voila! You have a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your lawn and landscape! Using a worm bin is also beneficial because you can keep it inside your home if you wish for easy access. The only rule when it comes to worm bins is to not leave it in direct sunlight.

If you’re not sure how to use a worm bin or where to get the materials (or the worms), check with your community’s Department of Water and Power; they may offer worm bins as well as instructions on how to use them.

So what can you throw in the worm bin? The ingredients that make up worm bin mulch can range from fruit and vegetable rinds and pieces to most lawn and landscape debris, according to lawn care experts. So instead of throwing your kitchen scraps in the trash, or even to the dog, think about creating your own personal brand of all-organic mulch.

If making your own mulch is too much of a hassle but you still want to bring a more organic approach to fertilizing your lawn or landscape, call your local lawn care company and ask about their organic fertilization program.